


Neptune's Blessing

by MissMy80sShows



Series: Season 5 - What Could Have Happened on SMK [4]
Category: Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-06-11 10:49:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 36,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15313857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMy80sShows/pseuds/MissMy80sShows
Summary: The countdown has begun to Lee and Amanda's wedding. What could possibly go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

Amanda was rearranging the suitcases in the back of her Wagoneer, Lee stood beside her as he shook his head. "Do you think we have everything?"

Amanda laughed, "Probably not. The boys always manage to forget something and I'm sure Mother will have an extra bag ready before we leave."

She just started to close the tailgate as Lee complained, "We should leave within the hour if we are going to get there before it's too late. We have a long drive ahead of us."

"I know, I know. I'll see what I can do to get Mother moving. She's so excited you invited her to join us," Amanda said as she rubbed her hand up his chest lovingly.

Lee captured her hand to still it as he said straight-faced, "If she's not ready to go in thirty minutes, I'm leaving her here. Now, I'm going to check in with Billy one last time, check all the locks on the doors and windows and come back out here." His patience was worn thin after the frustrating week they had.

Their week began early Sunday morning, with the sounds of Phillip vomiting in the hallway bathroom. Amanda heard him first and was out of bed immediately, although, they'd only been asleep for a few hours. Lee could hear her comfort him between his moaning and heaving. With each wretched sound, Lee cringed, closing his eyes tightly hoping the sound would stop soon. Thirty agonizing minutes later, Amanda crawled back into bed beside him and whispered, "That's the last time he'll challenge anyone to a cake eating contest."

Lee leaned up on his elbow, rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand and asked, "He did what?"

Amanda rolled over to face him as she said quietly, "He ate fourteen pieces of cake. He challenged Carrie's cousin's son he could eat all of them. I am pretty sure he is regretting that decision now. Let's go back to sleep." She tried to take his hand in hers, a signal she wanted him to settle back down, but Lee was wide awake.

"Amanda, what would possess him to think he could eat that much cake?" Lee asked loudly.

"Shush, keep your voice down. He's a teenage boy and if you remember being a teenage boy, you'll remember you probably did some stupid things too," she reprimanded him quietly yet firmly. "Now, go back to sleep."

Lee rolled onto his back and crossed his arms, "I can't go back to sleep now, I'm too awake."

Amanda wiggled her body closer to his and whispered as she tucked herself against him, her head on his shoulder, "Sweetheart, just close your eyes and relax. It's been a long night and you just need to settle down again."

Taking advantage of her position, Lee pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "Let's say we lock the door and you can give me a reason to be tired."

Amanda closed her eyes and with an almost imperceivable shake of her head whispered back, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart, we can't, not for a few days. Besides, even if we could, I'm sure Phillip is still awake. I don't think he's going to be sick again, but his belly hurts quite a bit. I just gave him some Pepto-Bismol, but it's going to take a while to kick in. Let's just snuggle and get some rest."

Lee exhaled loudly as he groused, "Figures. But, I guess snuggling is better than nothing." Sleep didn't find him again until the wee hours of the morning.

Sunday quickly rolled into Monday and Lee's grouchy mood was made worse when he received the call their mortgage closing was going to be pushed off again. He'd been hoping to sign the papers first thing Monday morning and start moving the boxes out of his apartment. As soon as he hung up the phone, Francine appeared in the doorway of the Q Bureau informing Lee that Billy had an assignment for him.

In Billy's office, Lee nearly exploded when Billy handed him the file folder and stated, "You need to be on a plane in four hours, you're heading to Port Moresby in Paupa New Guinea. There you will be brought to Port Moresby Nature Park by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary where you will be picking up Michael Muinepe, their top archaeologist. Your assignment is to bring Dr. Muinepe back here along with his most recent find."

"You can't be serious? I'm going to be a babysitter?! Come on, Billy!" Lee shouted as he tried to shove the folder back toward him.

"Dr. Muinepe has been part of a team that may have just had a huge archaeological break through and the Smithsonian has stepped in to examine everything here. Now, if you have a problem with this assignment, I'm sure you could take it up with them! In the meantime, you better get your bag packed and get on that plane unless you'd rather be back on suspension!" Billy stood and hollered back. He'd promised Amanda he would keep Lee out of trouble for the next few weeks and thought this assignment was perfect.

"Fine!" Lee shouted back understanding he had no other options then quieted his tone, "When is the flight back?"

"You should be touching down in Dulles on Thursday afternoon," Billy stated as he sat back down. "Francine has your tickets and itinerary all prepared for you. All you need to do is show up."

"Thursday afternoon?" Lee whined. He was still tired from the lack of sleep over the weekend and now he had to sit on a plane for almost twenty hours one way to be a carrier pigeon for the Smithsonian.

"Yes, Thursday afternoon, unless you would like me to extend your time there. Maybe add in a day or two of sightseeing at the Park," Billy teased sarcastically.

Lee shook his head as he pursed his lips. "No, no, Thursday will be fine. It's just Amanda and me are taking the boys to Virginia Beach for the weekend for the Neptune Festival and I was trying to avoid anything that may change those plans. It's our first vacation, I guess you could say with the boys, and well, I don't want to screw it up," he admitted.

"I know, which is exactly why I thought this assignment would be perfect. Keeps you busy, away from Dr. Smyth and you'll be back in plenty of time," Billy smiled. "I remember the first vacation to the beach we took the girls on. They were much younger than Amanda's boys but, I can give you one piece of advice."

"What's that?" Lee smiled weakly.

"Don't forget the sunscreen. Now, hurry before you miss your flight. There aren't too many flights leaving Dulles, heading in that direction. I'll see you Thursday afternoon when you get back," Billy replied. As Lee turned toward the door, Billy said, "Oh, and one more thing. I know you've been worried about keeping a low profile next week around here so I've made some arrangements to help you with that."

Lee stood, and he partially opened the door and asked with a grimace, "Oh really, what's that?"

Billy shook his head as he laughed, "I'll tell you all about it when you get back." Lee grunted back as he left the office and headed to his apartment to pack.


	2. Chapter 2

Lee called Amanda as he drove toward his apartment to get his suitcase packed. "Amanda, you're never going to believe this. Billy just handed me an assignment," he complained.

"Oh really, what is it?" Amanda asked as she held the phone with her shoulder while she ironed.

"I have to be on a plane in less than four hours to ... get this ... Papua New Guinea. I have to go collect an archaeologist and his latest discovery and bring them back to the Smithsonian," Lee groaned.

"Four hours? What happened to the closing? I thought we were signing papers at eleven?" Amanda asked, confused.

"Oh yeah, that. Well, that got pushed off again also. Something about the paperwork wasn't ready, the Agency Credit Union didn't draw up the right form or something," Lee tapped his free hand on the steering wheel as he waited at a red light. When the light turned green, he stepped on the gas harder than he intended as he gripped the steering wheel, the engine roared in response.

"Lee, be careful!" she scolded him when she heard the engine. Quieter, she asked, "When do you return?"

Lee eased off the gas and replied, "Thursday afternoon. I'm heading to my apartment now to pack. I may as well pack my bag for the weekend while I'm at it."

"Well, be careful. I guess it could be worse, Sweetheart. I mean, he could have given you an assignment that would have taken all weekend," Amanda said, as she looked on the bright side.

Lee had to smile at her optimism and replied with a laugh, "Or I could have to spend the week with Dr. Smyth."

Amanda laughed in response as she said, "Call me when you can. I love you."

Lee sighed and replied, "I love you, too. I just want this weekend to be perfect and Billy sending me nine thousand miles away makes me nervous, you know?"

"We'll make the best of it. We always do. I'll hold down the fort here," Amanda said softly.

Lee looked down as he pushed the end button on the phone and placed it in the cradle, but as soon as he looked up, he had to slam on his brakes. The car in front of him swerved to avoid hitting another car, but Lee didn't have enough time to react completely. He jerked the wheel hard to the left, sideswiped the stopped vehicle, and his passenger side mirror snapped off in the process. When his car finally came to rest, he got out to survey the damage. A Metro policeman pulled up behind them, ticket book already in hand.

Thirty minutes later, Lee was more agitated than before. He drove to his apartment, his mood black and each time he glanced over toward his side mirror, he got even angrier. He called Billy to explain what happened and his response was a loud laugh with a promise Francine would drive him to the airport and Leatherneck would fix his car while he was gone. With very little time to spare, Lee opened his suitcase and his overnight bag quickly and tossed necessities in both bags. Francine knocked on the door just as he zipped closed his one bag.

"Leave it to you, Scarecrow, to sideswipe a stopped car," she teased as she followed him toward his bedroom. "Two bags? You planning on more than a pickup? Staying to see the New Guinea nightlife? You know I heard -"

Lee cut her off, "No, I figured I would pack for our weekend away with the boys while I was at it."

"Okay, so which bag is which?" she asked as she leaned on the door frame.

"This one is for... no wait…. this bag is for… oh no!" Lee moaned as he opened both bags, confused which bag he was taking with him on the flight. He glanced at his watch and groaned as he pulled everything out of both bags and sorted it.

"Great job, Stetson. You sure know how to cut things close. We only need to be at the international terminal in..." she stopped talking to make a grand gesture of looking at her watch before she continued, "in exactly forty-eight minutes."

Lee groaned again as he began shoving clothing into both bags once again. When he tossed his shaving kit and toiletries into the bag, he quickly zipped it closed and declared, "Ready."

The ride to the airport was thankfully uneventful. Lee tried to sleep on the plane by closing his eyes as soon as the plane taxied off the runway, but his seatmate had other ideas. The older gentleman beside him nudged him awake several times asking questions. By the time they landed in LAX for their first connecting flight, Lee couldn't get off the plane fast enough. The next flight was much quieter albeit a bit bumpier with turbulence over the Pacific Ocean.

When he finally landed in Papua New Guinea, Lee was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to crawl into the bed in his hotel room. Instead, he was met at the airport and whisked toward the archeological dig. Lee struggled to follow the conversation with Dr. Muinepe, the man's thick accent losing him quickly. He simply nodded in agreement when it seemed appropriate and confirmed he would meet the doctor first thing the next morning in his hotel lobby where they would begin their flight back.

Lee thanked the constabularies that escorted him to his hotel, thankfully only a short distance from the park. He checked his watch, mentally calculating the time distance to DC. Once he was settled in his room, he picked up the phone and ordered room service. As he waited, he called Billy to check in and then phoned Amanda.

"Hey, I'm here, barely awake but here," Lee said as soon as Amanda answered.

With a sigh of relief, Amanda replied, "I'm glad you got there safe. Francine told me about your car so I went down to talk to Leatherneck. He said it might take a week to get it done but it will look good as new."

Lee shook his head and replied, "Thanks. I just ordered room service so I'm going to eat and sleep as long as I can."

"Take it easy today. You're bound to be jet lagged a little," Amanda informed him.

"I know, I know but I shouldn't be here long enough to feel it. If there aren't any surprises, I will be home Thursday afternoon just like Billy said and that will give me enough time to rest before we leave Friday. Hey, did you call the hotel to book a suite?" Lee asked, another item on his mental checklist for the weekend.

"About that," Amanda began. "I called and because of the festival, the best we can do is two connecting rooms, each with two double beds. It will be a tight squeeze but we'll manage. Mother and Phillip can have one room, we'll take the other with Jamie. We won't have a lot of alone -"

Lee cut her off, "We have the rest of our lives for that, Amanda. I just want the boys to have a good time this weekend, that's all."

"As do I, Sweetheart, as do I. Listen, you get some rest and I'll see you on Thursday," Amanda stated just hanging up the phone, leaving Lee staring at a buzzing receiver. Dotty had just walked into the house carrying grocery bags, her jacket soaking wet.

"I can't believe this rain!" she exclaimed, as she shook her hands, the droplets of water were flying everywhere. "Were you on the phone just now?" Dotty asked.

"Yes, that was Lee, checking in. He sounds exhausted," Amanda said sadly.

"Where did you say he went again?" Dotty questioned as she put the groceries away.

Amanda smiled softly, finally thankful she could be honest as she explained, "He's in Papua New Guinea meeting an archaeologist. They made a major discovery so the Smithsonian is going to examine his finds."

"Now that is impressive! Lee flew all the way there to help bring back what could be a major archaeological discovery. When is he coming back? He is going to be back in time for the weekend, isn't he? Oh, Amanda, the boys will be so disappointed if he doesn't go. You should have heard them in the car this morning, chattering away about all the things they wanted to do. They must have memorized those pamphlets you gave them," Dotty rambled.

Amanda smiled wider and laughed as she said, "He should be back Thursday afternoon, although, he'll probably just head to his apartment and sleep until Friday. And yes, he's still going this weekend. I'm glad the boys are excited. It should be fun. You sure you don't mind sharing a room with one of the boys?"

Dotty put her hands on Amanda's arms as she said, "I'll take both boys if you and Lee need a little alone time if you know what I mean. After all, it's been a long week."

Amanda kissed her mother on her cheek before she said, "Thank you, Mother, but that won't be necessary. We're adults and we'll make do."

"And, four days away from each other feels like an awfully long time," Dotty sang as she moved toward the laundry room.

"Oh, Mother," Amanda shook her head smiling at the thoughts populating her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Right on schedule, Dr. Muinepe was waiting for Lee in the lobby of the hotel along with two constabularies to escort the men to the airport. Dr. Muinepe carried a small carry-on duffle bag, slung across his chest. Lee helped him with his larger suitcase when he noticed the older man limping. "Dr. Muinepe, are you alright?" Lee asked.

"Yes, yes, I'll be fine," he replied. "I slipped on my way out of the dig last night and twisted my ankle. I just need to take it slow if that's okay."

Lee shifted the suitcases and said politely, "I can take your other bag if you'd like. It's no problem."

Dr. Muinepe smiled then leaned in close, "No chance, son. This is my discovery and I'm not letting anyone but the Smithsonian get their hands on it."

Lee laughed loudly as he replied, "I can understand that. It's like my wife when she bakes for one of the boys bake sales at school. From her hands to the coordinators and no one else's."

The men put their conversation on hold while they were whisked through the international security checkpoint. Lee flashed his badge along with the two officers escorting them. Without incident, the men moved to their terminal to wait for their boarding time.

They found seats close to the gangway and sat. "Dr. Muinepe, would you like a cup of coffee while we wait? It's a long flight back to DC," Lee asked.

"Coffee would be perfect. I'll be honest, I'm a bit nervous about this flight. It's longer than I've ever traveled before" he admitted.

Lee stood, checked with the officers and quickly found a coffee shop nearby where he purchased four large coffees. He was just about to hand out the coffee when he heard a loud screech followed by a small body barreling into his legs from behind. He almost lost his balance when two little arms wrapped tightly around his knees. The four cups tumbled onto his shirt, soaking him in the hot liquid. He straightened himself up and looked behind to see a little girl about three years old crying loudly and a young woman running toward them. "Ella! I told you to stay with me! You can't run away like that. Look! You bumped into this nice man…" the woman scolded her, but stopped when Lee slowly turned and she saw the coffee spilled across Lee's shirt. "I'm so sorry, sir. She gets so excited when she sees the planes. I think she thought you were her grandfather. We are just waiting for him to arrive. I'm so so sorry."

Lee just looked down at his clothing, a scowl on his face. He couldn't say anything, he was so angry, but he knew it was only an accident so he thought about what Amanda would do. Instead of snapping at the child, he simply bent down to get on eye level with her and said quietly, "Ella, I think your Mommy is waiting for you over there. Now be a good girl and go hold her hand, okay?"

Ella released him and ran toward her mother smiling. She immediately reached up and said "Momma, hand pwease." Lee stood and nodded in the young woman's direction as he surveyed the damage to his clothing. He debated if he had enough time to change when the stewardess announced they would be boarding any time.

He approached the check-in desk and asked if he would be able to change immediately upon boarding. The stewardess swept her eyes over him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "I'll even let you use the private area reserved just for us."

Lee turned on the charm and smiled back, "I would appreciate that very much… um, Rebecca."

She smiled back again as she took the microphone and announced that first class passengers could begin boarding. Lee turned back to get his suitcase and help Dr. Muinepe hobble toward the plane. "You have a way with the ladies. How does your wife feel about that?" he teased.

"My wife knows she's the one I come home to," Lee replied as they slowly made their way through the vestibule.

On the plane, Rebecca guided Lee to a secluded area reserved just for flight staff and before he could close the door she pulled him close and kissed him soundly on the lips. Lee gently pushed her back and slipped into the small bathroom to change. He glanced in the mirror before leaving the room and saw a smear of pink lipstick on his chin. He wiped it off using his stained shirt and shoved it back in his bag before exiting. Rebecca was waiting for him outside with a smile to escort him back to his seat.

Dr. Muinepe laughed as Rebecca trailed her fingers across Lee's shoulder as she sauntered away. "You have an admirer," he said when she was out of earshot.

"Yes, it appears I do. My stepson would be having a field day right now," Lee said with a smile.

"How long have you been married?" Dr. Muinepe asked, attempting to make conversation.

"Not too long but long enough that my wife and I are renewing our vows next week. We eloped the first time so now this time we can celebrate with everyone, including her boys," Lee said cryptically.

Dr. Muinepe narrowed his eyes and studied Lee for a moment before replying, "Two boys? It sounds as if you have your hands full." Lee laughed loudly drawing looks from the stewardesses walking by.

The two men settled comfortably in their seats, once the emergency speech had been given by the stewardess, and they prepared for the long flight ahead of them. The plane took off from Port Moresby Airport on time, however, about three hours into their flight the captain made an announcement. "Attention all passengers, this is your Captain speaking. Hurricane Peke has formed off the coast of Hawaii. We may be in for a bumpy ride. Please keep your seatbelts fastened at all times. I'll give you updates when I receive them from the National Weather Bureau," the voice on the speaker proclaimed.

Lee leaned toward Dr. Muinepe and said, "I hope this doesn't delay our landing at LAX. I'd like to get home sooner rather than later." Dr. Muinepe nodded in response, his face lost all color with the mention of a hurricane.

Ten minutes later, the first wave of turbulence rocked the plane. Dr. Muinepe grasped the arms of the seat, his knuckles white as he stared wide-eyed in fright at the stewardess moving through the aisles checking on all the passengers. "Sir, please relax. The captain informed us he is going to try to head further south and fly around the storm.," she patted Dr. Muinepe's shoulder as she spoke.

"Will that delay our landing?" Lee questioned.

"It will, but it will be safer that way," she explained. "The captain will make an announcement soon, just try to relax."

As Dr. Muinepe exhaled, trying to soothe his nerves the plane bounced again. "Easier said than done, young lady," he groaned between clenched teeth.

"Thank you," Lee dismissed the stewardess with a nod of his head. "Dr. Muinepe, tell me about the discovery you made. Maybe it will help take your mind off of things," Lee suggested.

As the plane banked further southeast around the storm bands, Dr. Muinepe went into great detail about the pottery and bone fragments they had found indicating the presence of an advanced civilization on the island much earlier than anyone estimated. His grip relaxed the longer he talked and two hours later, the captain announced they were heading north once more toward the California coastline. Everyone on the plane cheered in response except Lee. As the stewardess passed by once more, he caught her elbow and asked, "How delayed are we?"

"As of right now, the Captain estimates about three hours with no additional setbacks. The airline has been alerted," she answered with a smile.

"And our connecting flight back to DC, will there be another one soon?" Lee questioned.

"I can check on that, sir," she replied as she moved away toward another traveler.


	4. Chapter 4

"You've got to be kidding me!" Lee exclaimed as he waved his ticket at the clerk standing behind the ticket booth. He'd been standing in line with Dr. Muinepe for almost two hours trying to get another flight back to DC. The clerk informed him they'd just missed a flight to Dulles and the next available flight wasn't for another eight hours. Dr. Muinepe simply shook his head, as he tried to contain his own frustration. "Fine, two seats, first class, please," Lee stated as he shoved his credit card toward the clerk.

The two men walked away from the desk with new tickets in hand. "So, why don't we find someplace here to get some decent food," Dr. Muinepe suggested as he looked around. "Over there," he pointed toward a small food court, "I bet we can find a good meal and a cold beer."

Lee smiled, and the two men walked together slowly. They decided on a small cafe in the corner and once the two men ordered, they sipped their beer and relaxed. "I should probably call my wife and let her know what time our flight's landing," Lee stated.

"Will she be worried?" Dr. Muinepe asked as he adjusted his leg up on the chair beside him.

"No, she's used to expecting the unexpected," he replied. Lee couldn't help but notice that the doctor was uncomfortable. As the waitress approached the table, Lee asked if they could possibly get a small bag of ice. A few minutes later, she returned with their sandwiches and the ice. Dr. Muinepe accepted the ice appreciatively, and he placed the bag on his injured ankle.

"From everything you told me on the plane, your wife sounds like a wonderful woman," Dr. Muinepe replied between bites.

"She must be wonderful, she puts up with me," Lee teased knowing how true that statement really was. He'd been thinking about the time when they first met and the first year they'd worked together. It dawned on him how rude he'd been most of the time, how often he'd dismissed how valuable she truly was, never looking past who he thought Amanda was to who she really was inside.

The men ate slowly, chatted between bites about everything and anything it seemed. Lee was amazed at Dr. Muinepe's knowledge on almost any historical subject and they even managed a spirited debate on who really shot down the infamous Red Baron, Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, during World War I.

Two hours later, they finally paid their bill and headed toward the gate they would depart from. Once Lee had Dr. Muinepe seated and comfortable, he found a row of payphones to call Amanda. He tapped the top of the payphone as he listened to the phone ring on the other end. "Amanda, hi," he breathed when she finally answered.

"Well, hello stranger. Are you back so soon? I didn't think you were landing until…" Amanda began, but, Lee cut her off.

"I'm not back in DC, not yet. We had a delay on the flight to LAX. There was a hurricane off Hawaii. Now we need to wait another six hours for the next flight," he explained.

"Oh, Sweetheart, you're not going to get back until late!" she exclaimed after mentally calculating the flight time.

"Late? Try early tomorrow morning. I'm telling you, Billy owes me for this. He has something up his sleeve for next week, but if it requires me flying halfway around the world again, I'm going to tell him to just forget it," Lee lamented. He shifted his position at the phone to get a better look toward where Dr. Muinepe was sitting.

"Lee, you don't think this isn't going to interfere with our weekend, do you? The boys are so excited, I'd hate to disappoint them," Amanda asked sadly.

Lee shook his head and pursed his lips before he replied, "No, I'm going to make sure of it. Even if it means you drive and I sleep the ride there, we will be taking the boys to the Neptune Festival this weekend." Before he could continue, he noticed a teenage boy walking slowly past Dr. Muinepe. The boy leaned over and snatched the duffle bag off Dr. Muinepe's lap. The strap snapped easily, and as the boy ran toward Lee, Dr. Muinepe yelled, "Mr. Stetson! Mr. Stetson!"

"Amanda, I gotta go!" he yelled as he slammed the phone in place. He took three steps to the right before the boy barreled into him. Using his size as an advantage, he managed to roll over and pin the boy down, holding one hand behind his back. "You picked the wrong man to try to lift," he growled as he pulled his gun from his shoulder holster. Immediately people in the surrounding area began running and screaming, "That man has a gun!"

He struggled to hold onto the boy as Airport Security ran up to him, their own guns drawn. "Drop the weapon!" one officer yelled.

"You don't understand, I'm a fe…" Lee started but another officer yelled again, "He said, drop the weapon!"

Dr. Muinepe hobbled over to the scene. He hoped he could help explain what had happened. "Mr. Stetson was just trying…" he began, but an overzealous officer pushed him away.

"Sir, you're going to have to stand back."

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Lee exclaimed. He held his gun in two fingers then gestured toward his coat pocket. One officer looked at the other, confused. Lee rolled his eyes and shook his head as he holstered his weapon and withdrew his badge, never releasing his hold on the teen below him. He handed his badge to the closest officer and stood up as he pulled the teen with him.

"I'm sorry, Agent Stetson. We just panicked when someone yelled you had a gun, sir. We're not exactly trained for situations like that, you know?" one officer stated.

Lee pulled the teen to his feet when he heard someone yell from across the terminal, "US Marshals, identify yourself, sir!" Lee rolled his eyes again and handed his badge to the first Marshal. He was taller than Lee, a sharp military haircut, and ice blue eyes. "Agent Stetson, sir, you'll have to come with us to clear up this matter. We will need to fill out a full report as you have drawn your weapon in a crowded terminal, sir," he informed Lee.

Lee checked his watch and looked at Dr. Muinepe. Pursing his lips, he replied, "With all due respect sir, we cannot miss our flight. The Smithsonian is expecting Dr. Muinepe tomorrow morning. I would hate to leave them waiting when they have the premier historian on ancient cultures arriving to examine the contents of that bag."

The Marshal looked at Lee then at Dr. Muinepe and nodded, "Understood, sir. We will not keep the good doctor or yourself any longer than necessary. We just need you to fill out a simple report. This boy here has been running this pick and grab routine for the last few weeks, so we appreciate your help apprehending him. Now, if you would just follow me, we can resolve this matter quickly."

Lee walked slowly with Dr. Muinepe as they followed the Marshals. After just a few minutes, one of the Marshals called for a wheelchair which Dr. Muinepe gladly accepted. The group was led to a small conference room where Lee sat at one end of the table, Dr. Muinepe at the other. Both men were asked to write out in detail what had occurred. Lee nervously checked his watch every few minutes as he wrote. Once his report was complete, he called to the Marshal who gladly accepted it. Dr. Muinepe was finished a few minutes later and handed his to the Marshal as well. Lee looked at the man and asked, "Can we go now?"

The Marshal shook his head, "Not yet, sir. Please have a seat until my superior returns." He then left the room leaving Lee and Dr. Muinepe alone.

Lee paced the small space as he waited for the Marshal to return. He checked his watch every few minutes as they waited. When he finally heard the click of the door close to an hour later and the Marshal walked into the room, Lee let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry to keep you so long, Agent Stetson, Dr. Muinepe. We waited for the boy's mother to come to pick him up. You're free to go," he explained.

Lee shook his hand and replied, "Thank you. Now, I believe we have just enough time to get back to our terminal before boarding."

Dr. Muinepe climbed back into the wheelchair and laughed, "If you drive, we'll make it."

Lee couldn't help but laugh loudly drawing an odd look from the Doctor. As he pushed him toward their gate he said, "I'll explain it on the plane."


	5. Chapter 5

Lee's plane landed just after four in the morning. Both he and Dr. Muinepe were exhausted, neither having slept much on the plane ride. Agents Fergusen and Proctor picked the pair up, dropped Lee off at his apartment first, then dropped Dr. Muinepe at his hotel located only one mile from the Smithsonian. Lee left a message for Billy that he was back and he would be in touch later in the day. Lee crawled into bed after setting an alarm for noon. He and Amanda planned to pack her car before the boys got home from school so they could leave soon thereafter.

He'd been asleep for two hours when the phone rang. "'Ello?" he slurred, half asleep.

"Sweetheart, you made it home! I'm so glad," Amanda exclaimed happily in his ear.

"Amanda," Lee tried to speak, but she continued to talk.

"Now, Mother is going to help me finish packing so you don't have to worry," she said.

"Amanda," Lee tried again.

Amanda continued, "And I'll pack snacks for the ride because you know how hungry the boys can be when they get home from school."

"A-man-da!" Lee snapped fully awake now.

"Why are you shouting? I can hear you just fine," she replied, shaking her head.

"Amanda, I've only been asleep for," Lee opened his eyes to look at the clock, "less than two hours. I'd like to try to get as much sleep as I can so I'll call you when I wake up later, okay?"

"Oh, Sweetheart, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I'll let you go back to sleep. Call me when you wake up. Go back to sleep. Call me later, I'm sorry," Amanda repeated herself softening her voice with each statement.

Lee closed his eyes again as he replied, "Goodbye, I'll call you later." He hung up the phone and punched his pillow a few times to try to get comfortable again. He stayed in one position for just a few minutes, then flopped over to his other side as he groaned. Frustrated, he shifted his body one last time before running a hand through his hair. Although he was exhausted, he was now too awake to go back to sleep.

Lee went into the bathroom and took a hot shower, hoping the steaming water would relax him again. He fixed himself two fingers of Scotch and with a quick head tilt, he downed the fiery liquid in one swallow. He padded back to his bedroom and tried once more to find a comfortable position. He closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep when the blaring ring of the phone woke him once more. Lee growled as he answered the phone and snapped, "Stetson!"

"Ace, hey I wasn't expecting you to answer. I have your car all fixed. Popped that new mirror on and managed to buff the scratches out. Looks good as new," Leatherneck informed him cheerfully.

Lee groaned as he replied, "Thanks, Leatherneck. I owe you one. Amanda and I will be away all weekend so if you don't mind I'll pick it up first thing Monday morning."

"No problem, Ace. I understand. You and Mrs. King have a quiet weekend away planned? A little romantic getaway before the big day?" Leatherneck teased.

Lee shook his head, frustrated, "No, we are taking the boys to Virginia Beach for the weekend. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to try to catch a few winks."

Leatherneck didn't hear the end of Lee's comment. "Virginia Beach, huh? Wait, isn't this weekend the big Neptune Festival they have down there? I remember heading out there a few years back, had a great time. Just watch out for the price gouging. Seems like they marked all the souvenir stuff way up."

Lee groaned again as he ran his hand through his hair and scrubbed at his face, "Yeah and I was hoping to get some sleep before we left, but-"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Ace. Did I wake you? I'll let you go," Leatherneck said apologetically before he hung up, without a reply from Lee.

Lee stared at the phone in his hand before he dropped the handset on the receiver. "I might as well get up now," he growled aloud. "Maybe I can get some sleep at Amanda's house." He picked up the phone and dialed Amanda's number. "Amanda, could you come get me? I'm having a hard time sleeping here and well, maybe I can take a nap at your house before we leave and no one will call me there," he explained.

"Of course, I'll be right over. Just give me about twenty minutes to drop cookies off at Jamie's school," Amanda replied.

"Thanks, I'll see you then," Lee said as he hung up the phone once more. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, brushed his teeth, and carried the overnight bag he'd packed for the weekend to the living room. He dozed off on the couch while he waited.

Amanda used her key to enter Lee's apartment and called out his name as she entered. She found him sound asleep on the couch and couldn't resist tracing the line of his jaw with her fingers before she gave him a gentle shake to rouse him. Lee grabbed her hand tightly with his as he sat up, confused. "Lee?" she whispered, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Amanda. I'm sorry, you startled me," he replied and loosened his grip on her hand. "I must have fallen asleep on the couch, I didn't hear you come in."

"You look exhausted, are you sure you're up for the drive this afternoon?" Amanda asked worriedly.

"Amanda, I'll be fine. If I can get a couple of hours sleep at your house, where hopefully no one will interrupt me, I'll be fine. Besides, I promised you and the boys nothing was going to stop us from going. Now, come on, let's go before the phone -" Lee was cut off by the ringing telephone. He rolled his eyes upward and dropped his head back, exasperated.

Amanda picked up, "Hello? Oh, hi Billy. Yes, Lee's right here, but he's exhausted. Yes, he's trying to get some rest. Ok, I'll tell him. Thank you. Yes, we'll see you on Monday. You too, Sir. Bye, bye." She hung up the phone and looked at Lee, "Billy just wanted you to know Dr. Muinepe brought everything safely to the Smithsonian. He is on his way over to the hospital to have his ankle looked at, though. Billy said he was in a lot of pain so he's getting checked out now. And, he said your report could wait until Monday as well."

"Wow, Billy is actually letting me slide on a report for the weekend? He must have a guilty conscious or something," Lee laughed as he slowly stood. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to sleeping in your bed, Mrs. Stetson," he laughed again.

"Well, Mr. Stetson, let's get you there so you can get some sleep. The boys are so excited," Amanda put her arm around Lee's waist and together they walked toward the door. Lee insisted Amanda drive as he could barely keep his eyes open. The motion of the car lulled him to sleep even on the short drive and he was surprised when he felt Amanda shaking him after she pulled into the driveway. "Let's get you inside and tucked in. A few solid hours of sleep will do you good, Sweetheart."

Lee leaned toward her, kissed her on her cheek and said, "I haven't told you lately, but I love you, Mrs. Stetson."

He jumped when Dotty knocked on the car window beside him. "Lee, I thought you were going to get some rest before coming here?" she asked.

Lee opened the car door and stretched before he gave Dotty a hug. "I couldn't sleep at my apartment, so I asked Amanda to bring me here to hopefully be uninterrupted," he explained.

Dotty raised an eyebrow as she smiled and asked, "Should I do a few errands to give you some time alone?"

"Mother! Lee's plane didn't land until early this morning and he really needs to get some rest. I can't believe you even suggested a thing like that," Amanda admonished her.

Dotty held up a hand as she replied, "I was just suggesting."

Lee laughed with Dotty and said, "Dotty, I know what you were suggesting and believe me, if I wasn't this tired I may have taken you up on that offer, but right now I don't think I could even tie my own shoes without help."

"Oh, you poor dear! Let's get you inside and tucked in then, shall we?" Dotty slipped her arm around Lee's waist to guide him toward the back door. "Amanda? Are you just going to stand there?" she called to her.

Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head. "Oh Mother!" she whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

Amanda tucked Lee into her bed with a kiss on his lips and a promise to keep her mother away from him for a few hours. She even unplugged the phone, so it wouldn't ring and wake him again. She closed the shades, shut the door and walked downstairs.

"Amanda, I need to run to the store to pick up a few things for the weekend. Do you mind if I take your car?" Dotty asked.

"No, Mother, that's fine. I'm going to check the boys' overnight bags and bring them down here. Are you mostly packed?" Amanda asked curiously. She knew her mother was usually late and never packed until the last minute.

"I think I have most of it done, which is how I realized I needed a few things. I shouldn't be gone long," Dotty explained as she took Amanda's keys and headed for the back door.

"Drive carefully, Mother. I'll see you when you get back," Amanda said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. After a few sips, she took the mug with her and headed back up the stairs to Philip and Jamie's room.

On each bed, was an overnight bag and a backpack. Amanda sorted through Philip's bag first, where she pulled out a few unnecessary items, she then opened his drawers and added a few additional shirts and a pair of jeans just in case it was cool at night. She checked for his toothbrush and wasn't surprised when she found it missing. She collected his toothbrush and toothpaste from the bathroom across the hall.

After she was satisfied with Philip's bag, she did a thorough check of Jamie's bags. She nodded at how thorough he'd been, and only added an additional pair of socks. In his backpack, she found the book on photography Lee had given him and the small book she'd found when they were in Virginia Beach previously. With a smile, she dropped the books back into his bag, checked for his toothbrush and a hairbrush. She zipped his bag closed and dropped it back on the bed. She checked the time on the alarm clock beside Jamie's bed. She still had a few hours before the boys would be home from school so she took their dirty clothes down to the laundry room and started the washer.

She didn't want to wake Lee so she made a pot of coffee and before she could get the book she was reading, the phone rang. "Hello? Oh, hi, Francine," she said as she picked up the handset.

"Amanda! I'm so glad I got you. Listen, I was thinking about your honeymoon and well… are you and Lee really set on Newport?" Francine asked quickly.

Amanda closed her eyes and shook her head slightly before she responded, "Yes, Francine, we've already made our reservations at a beautiful old Victorian bed and breakfast for the week. It's exactly where we want to be."

Francine's voice drifted over the phone, "Wouldn't you rather go someplace tropical, more romantic, more Lee?"

Amanda laughed lightly as she replied, "Francine, I think you're still thinking of who Lee used to be. He was the one that suggested Newport and as a matter of fact, he's the one that found the bed and breakfast. He found the hike along Cliff Walk and a few other things he's not telling me about. He said he wanted to keep them a surprise."

"Well, what would you say if I offered to send you two on a cruise instead?" Francine asked excitedly.

"I'd say thank you very much, Francine, you're a good friend, but Lee and I really want to go to Newport," Amanda smiled.

"Hawaii? The Keys?" Francine suggested. She couldn't wrap her brain around the idea that Lee would actually want to go someplace as mundane as Newport, Rhode Island.

"You know, Francine, it wasn't all that long ago, Lee and I tried to plan a weekend away and he suggested the same thing. We are very happy with Newport. I've never been there, but Lee said he was there a few times with the Colonel when he was a boy and they were stationed nearby. So, thank you very much for thinking of us, but we're going to stick with Newport," Amanda responded.

"Okay, okay, I was booking my own vacation when I thought of you two. Can't blame me for trying," Francine conceded.

Amanda smiled again, "No, we can't, but we can thank you for thinking of us. Are you taking Jonathan with you?"

Francine groaned, "No, Jonathan and I are in some weird holding pattern. On again, off again, never again. I don't know how to explain it. Nope, this vacation is just for me and me alone."

"Well, if I know you, you're going to find a way to have a good time all by yourself, too," Amanda stated positively.

"Find me a prince and a stack of chocolate chip cookies and you might just be right, Amanda," Francine joked.

Amanda laughed loudly then quickly quieted down so she didn't wake Lee. "Listen, Francine, I should get going. I want to make sure we have everything ready for this weekend. Thanks for thinking of us. We'll see you first thing Monday morning. Lee told me Billy has some plan for him next week to keep him out of trouble," she said.

"I heard that too, but he won't even tell me what he has up his sleeve. Must be super secretive," Francine confirmed.

"I didn't think Billy had it in him," Amanda joked. Upstairs she could hear Lee moving around. She glanced over at the clock, Lee had only been asleep for two hours. "Francine, I hear Lee awake. I really need to go," she explained.

"Enjoy your trip. Take lots of pictures! I can't wait to see Lee as Dad for the weekend," Francine teased.

"I'll have to ask Jamie for that. He's the photographer now, not me. I'm lucky I can get the boys together for a simple shot, but Lee taught him so much, he's surpassed anything I could ever do," Amanda stated proudly. She heard Lee shuffling down the steps. "We'll see you on Monday. Have a nice weekend, Francine," she said as she hung up the phone. She turned to see Lee standing in the doorway, yawning and running his hand through his hair. "Sweetheart, you barely slept!"

Lee shook his head and yawned again, "That was the best nap I've had. It may not have been very long, but I was out like a light. I need to sleep in your bed more often."

Amanda smiled as she asked, "Would you like some coffee?" Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed a mug out of the cabinet and began to pour him some.

Lee looked around the kitchen and asked, "Where's your mother?"

"Mother went to do a few errands. She said she needed to pick up a few things, but you know how she drives," Amanda teased as she handed him the steaming mug.

Lee took a sip, closed his eyes, smiled and said, "Mmmm, a nice nap in your bed, a steaming cup of coffee, you spoil me." Amanda heard the washing machine stop spinning in the laundry room. She took two steps toward Lee in an attempt to move around him when he put his arm around her waist and stopped her. He leaned close and brushed a kiss across her cheek. Amanda draped her arms around his waist and loosely held them behind his back. "I have an idea. Let's say you and I sneak back upstairs before your mother gets home. You know, some alone time before the weekend," he suggested between the light kisses he brushed across her forehead.

Amanda tilted her head back as she raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure you have enough energy for that?" she teased.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Lee stated as he sought out the soft, sensitive skin under her ear.

He was too distracted to hear the click of the door, but the two of them jumped when they heard Dotty ask, "Find out what? Did you have a good rest, Lee?"

Lee grunted, "Yeah, I did. Would have been even more relaxed if I had time to-"

"Time to do what?" Dotty asked innocently as she handed Amanda a shopping bag. "Darling, I picked up a new top for you. I couldn't help it, it was on sale and I thought it would look so perfect on you!"

Lee shook his head as he groused, "Time to take a shower before we started packing the car, but the boys are going to be home soon, right?" He looked over at Amanda with a pained expression.

"Not for another hour, so you have time, Sweetheart. Just go on back upstairs, take your coffee with you and a long, hot shower will do you some good. Go on," she encouraged.

Dotty had gone back outside to the car to retrieve another bag so Lee leaned in close and whispered, "You could always come up and join me."

Amanda smiled sweetly as Dotty walked back into the kitchen. "Just hold that thought for a little longer. I'm sure we can figure something out," Amanda suggested with a wink.


	7. Chapter 7

The car ride to Virginia Beach wasn't as bad as Amanda expected given Lee's current mood. She managed to talk him into letting her drive after she convinced the boys to bring their Walkman's. She turned on a soft rock radio station and Lee soon found himself rocked to sleep by the music and the motion of the car. He woke up slightly confused two hours later when she pulled into a gas station. Dotty brought the boys into the coffee shop next door to use the bathroom.

"Feel any better?" Amanda asked tentatively. She was almost afraid to ask. Lee snapped at everyone as they finished packing the car. Jamie managed to forget his new camera at the house and when he asked if they could turn back to get it, Lee, who'd originally been driving at the time, slammed on the brakes. Lee gave him a look that he usually reserved for the likes of terrorists and the KGB. Jamie sunk lower in his seat as Lee turned the car around and steered back toward the house. When he screeched to a halt in front of the house, Amanda followed Jamie inside, Philip practically on their heels.

"Mom, if Lee is going to be like this all weekend, I'm not going!" Philip declared when Jamie ran to their room to get the forgotten camera.

"Philip, I'll talk to him. He's had a tough week with very little sleep so Lee is pretty short tempered right now," Amanda explained. "I'll see if he'll let me drive and he can sleep during the ride. Why don't you go get your Walkman and have Jamie get his, too?"

Philip ran up the stairs with a roll of his eyes and the two boys returned minutes later, Walkmans and camera in hand. Outside, Amanda opened the car door and asked Lee if she could have a word with him in the house. He slammed the steering wheel once as he complained, "We're going to end up in so much traffic if we don't leave -"

"In the house now, buster," Amanda commanded firmly.

Both boys shot each other a surprised look as they were both quite familiar with her tone. They suppressed a giggle when Dotty whispered, "Uh oh, he's in trouble now."

Lee slammed the car door and each time he tried to say something, Amanda just pointed toward the front door or cut him off with the word, "move". Amanda held the door for him and closed it with a solid bang. Lee stood and looked at her, his arms folded tightly across his chest, the muscle in his cheek twitching wildly.

"Amanda, you realize the longer we stand here, the longer it's going to take to get -" he groused, but Amanda raised an eyebrow that stopped him immediately. Lee could tell by the look on Amanda's face she was angry and he figured out pretty fast that she was angry with him.

Amanda took three slow breaths before she spoke. She chose her words carefully, "Lee, I love you, my boys love you, my mother loves you but right now, no one likes you. I understand it's been a long, tough week for you, but with your attitude right now, we will have a lousy weekend. Now, give me the keys and I'll drive. The boys have their Walkmans and my mother has her book. Just get in the car, close your eyes and take a nap. Otherwise, you can expect the cold shoulder from everyone this weekend, including me. Is that understood?"

Lee's mouth gaped open, shocked she was reprimanding him as if he was one of the boys. "Amanda, I -" he started, but she cut him off with one finger in the air.

"You didn't answer the question. Do you understand?" she asked again, more firmly than before.

Lee dropped his chin and nodded, "Yeah, yeah I understand. And I'm sorry, I just want everything to be perfect and the way this week has been..."

"I know. Now take yourself outside, apologize to everyone and take a nap," she replied. Smiling, she placed her hand on his chest as she teased, "if you behave, I'll see if I can convince my mother to take the boys for ice cream later, so we can have some time alone."

Lee leaned forward and kissed her lightly as he asked, "Promise?"

Amanda kissed him two more times then said, "Ready now?"

"Yeah, I'm ready if you are," Lee replied as he handed her the keys. Together they walked back to the car, Amanda climbed into the driver's seat. Lee sat and twisted around to face Dotty, Philip and Jamie as he said, "Hey, I'm sorry. I was a little out of line. I'm still more tired than I thought, so Amanda's going to drive and I'm going to try to sleep it off a little."

Jamie nodded with a smile and slipped his headphones on as Philip replied, "It's okay, Lee, we all get grouchy. We'll leave you alone and try to be as quiet as we can."

Dotty patted Philip's leg and stated, "That also means keeping your volume low, young man. I don't know what it is you're listening to, but sometimes it's so loud I don't know how you can even think."

"I get it, Grandma," Philip bobbed his head as he dropped the speakers over his ears and hit play. Light strains of a drum beat could be heard from the headset he wore so Dotty tapped his hand. Immediately, he turned the volume dial downward, the noise disappeared. She smiled at him as she opened her book and began to read. Amanda steered the car away from the house and toward the highway.

Two hours later, Lee woke, confused, groggy but his mood was much better than before. As Amanda held the fuel dispenser from the gas pump, Lee stood and stretched his arms above his head. He rubbed his face with his hands and yawned. "Feeling any better?" Amanda asked from across the car.

"Actually yeah, yeah I am. I think I'll grab a cup of coffee, you want one?" he replied with a smile.

Amanda could see the stress lines already softening around his eyes when he smiled before he crossed the parking lot. He passed Dotty and the boys with a smile and pushed the glass doors open, as he disappeared inside.

"Lee seems like he's in a better mood now," Dotty commented.

"It's amazing what a nap can do for your mood sometimes. We're about halfway there so maybe I'll let Lee drive the rest of the way there and we can play some car games. What do you think boys?" Amanda asked.

Philip rolled his eyes and said, "Mom, don't you think we're getting too old for stuff like that?"

Amanda put her arm around his shoulder and replied, "Too old to go to the beach with your mom, too?" She ruffled his hair with her hand. "Remember when you boys were little and we went to that beach with your dad. I forget the name of it, but Philip you wouldn't go in the water because you were afraid of the seaweed touching you," she recalled with a laugh.

Philip scrunched up his face and denied, "I wasn't afraid of it, I just didn't like the way it felt touching my legs in the water."

Jamie laughed at his brother loudly as Lee walked back to the car, carrying a tray of coffee cups and a box of donuts. "You were too afraid! You thought they were eels trying to bite you!" he chuckled.

"Shut up, Bozo! At least I'm not afraid to talk to girls! And I'm sure there will be some mighty fine specimens at the beach this weekend, right Lee?" Philip said. Lee didn't reply, he just handed him the box of donuts. "Oh, thanks! Did you get the creme filled ones? I love those!" He opened the box and exclaimed, "Wooohooo! Two of them! And, they are all mine! Come to Papa!"

"Hey, share some with your brother, too," Lee scolded him lightly.

Jamie peeked in the box and saw his favorite kinds, "Jelly and chocolate frosted? Thanks, Lee!"

Amanda handed Lee the keys while she accepted the cup of coffee he held out, "Thank you, Sweetheart. That was a nice surprise."

Lee passed Dotty a cup as well and said, "It's decaf. I remembered, no caffeine after three or you won't sleep a wink."

Dotty took the coffee with a smile and a wink. "You keep spoiling us like that, Lee, you never know what's going to happen."

"I'm pretty sure I still owe everyone an apology for earlier. So, are we all ready to go? The Neptune Festival awaits!" he declared as he held Amanda's door open for her before he climbed into the driver's seat. They sped towards their destination just catching the tail end of the rush hour traffic.


	8. Chapter 8

Lee pulled into the parking lot of the hotel slowly, to avoid running over a multitude of teenagers walking directly in his path. He bit his tongue and not so patiently drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, as the Wagoneer crawled forward. "Sweetheart, why don't Mother and I go inside and check in, while you and the boys find a spot and bring the luggage in?" Amanda suggested sweetly.

"You know, that's not a bad idea. If I can ever find a spot. This place is crazy," Lee looked around at the throngs of people on the sidewalks.

Amanda and Dotty climbed out and walked toward the front desk as Lee inched his way toward the parking lot behind the hotel. He quickly found a spot wide enough. The boys climbed out and waited by the tailgate. Philip couldn't hold back the low whistle that escaped his lips earning a tap on the back of his head from Lee. "That's not how you respect young ladies," Lee scolded him as he started handing him bags and suitcases.

When they gathered as many bags as they could carry, Lee led the boys toward the lobby where Amanda and Dotty were waiting for them. Together they carried everything up to the eighth floor to their adjoining rooms. They piled everything on one bed and methodically separated the bags into the two rooms. It was decided Dotty would sleep with the two boys in her room, leaving Amanda and Lee a little privacy. "But Mother, there's no reason for the boys to share one bed when there is an extra bed in our room," Amanda pointed out.

"Amanda, this is a vacation of sorts, correct?" Dotty asked, one hand cocked on her hip, the other gesturing at the doorway that separated the two rooms.

"Well, yes, a weekend away," she replied.

"Then you and Lee should have a little privacy at least at night. We're going to be together all weekend, so let me do this for you, please Darling?" Dotty implored.

Lee sighed and said, "Thank you Dotty. We appreciate the thought even though it's not necessary. We knew this was a family weekend and besides that, with our wedding and honeymoon coming up next week, we'll have all the alone time we could want."

Dotty smiled and touched his cheek as she said, "And, as part of this family I can give you and my daughter a little space while we are on vacation this weekend."

Lee smiled at everyone and declared, "How about dinner then. Amanda, I bet we could walk to that seafood restaurant we went to faster than we could drive. This way the boys can build up an appetite."

"And, we can see all the sights on the beach on the way!" Philip exclaimed as he looked out the window to the beach below.

"Ugh, I am not spending all weekend staring at girls with him," Jamie complained.

"I'm not looking at girls, Bozo. Come see!" Philip was pointing at something. Everyone moved to the large picture window and looked down at the beach where they had the perfect vantage point to see all the elaborate sand sculptures below.

Jamie scrambled to find his camera and headed toward the door, the strap now slung across his chest. "Last one down takes the cold shower!" he yelled. Philip followed right behind him and the two boys raced toward the elevators.

"Hey, wait for us!" Amanda called after them before turning to Dotty and Lee. "I guess we're heading down now," she laughed.

"After you ladies," Lee held the door and pocketed the room key.

"Lee's got the cold shower tonight!" Jamie teased as he watched Lee exit the room last.

"The hell I will," Lee muttered under his breath, but not soft enough. Amanda gave him a solid backhand to the stomach as she shook her head disapprovingly, as Lee chuckled.

Together the group rode the elevator to the crowded lobby. Lee took charge when he instructed, "Listen, fellas, there's a big crowd around the beach so try to stick together. If you get separated from your mother, grandmother and I, stay with each other and don't leave the spot you're in. It will be easier for us to find you that way."

Philip rolled his eyes over Lee's speech. "We know, we know. And, if there was a tree we would have to hug it! You forget we used to go hiking all the time when we went camping. It's pretty much the same thing, only fewer bugs."

Lee smiled at him and said, "I know, Chief, I just don't want to give your mom anything to worry about this weekend. So, we stick together and we can see the sand sculptures as we head toward the restaurant. It's a little over a mile that way." Lee pointed to the right toward the end of the beach. "Let's go."

They crossed the busy street and quickly figured out they could walk on the sand easier than dodging the other tourists on the sidewalk. Jamie snapped pictures as often as he could, many times taking two or three at different angles of the same sculpture. At one point, Philip asked if he could be in a picture as the sculpture was a full-size caricature of Mr. T. The adults laughed as the boys ran forward to each one, always conscious of how far away they were. They waited patiently for them to catch up before they ran ahead again.

They finally made it to the restaurant forty-five minutes later and as luck would have it, a large table just opened up. Amanda sent the boys to go wash their hands before they ordered and Lee followed.

"Amanda, if the rest of the weekend is like the last hour, it's going to be wonderful," Dotty declared as she clasped her hands together.

Amanda dropped her eyes before she said, "Aw Mother, all we did was walk along the beach."

Dotty leaned close to her as she said, "Darling, Joe was never like that with the boys when you went on vacation."

"Mother! The last time Joe and I took the boys on vacation together they were still little. You can't compare this weekend to that," Amanda scolded her mother in a loud whisper. Amanda glanced up to see Lee and the boys headed back toward the table. She stood and announced, "I'll be back in a minute. Lee, will you order me a glass of wine, please?"

"I'll join you," Dotty declared, as she stood and placed her napkin on her chair. She followed Amanda to the ladies' room where they washed their hands and Amanda fixed her lipstick.

When they returned to the table, Jamie and Philip were snickering, Lee looked slightly annoyed. "What's wrong?" Amanda asked Lee.

"Philip just noticed a car in the parking lot that looked just like Lee's, and when we pointed it out, some super old guy got in and drove away. Philip just joked that was going to be Lee in a few years," Jamie giggled.

"I'm not THAT old," Lee muttered, the muscle in his cheek twitching wildly.

Amanda knew what the boys were doing, so she added her own comment, "Well, if that's the case, then I guess you boys will have to do all the heavy moving once we finally do move. After all, if Lee's only a few years shy of elderly he might break a hip or something."

"Lee's not even close to that guy's age. He's got a long way to go before he gets there," Philip piped up as he shook his head. He glanced over at his brother, and when Jamie didn't immediately say anything, he kicked him under the table.

"Oh, yeah, and Lee looks much better in his car than that guy," Jamie added, as he buried his nose in the menu.

Amanda raised an eyebrow at Lee and smiled, "Well, that's good to know, fellas. Now, let's eat! I'm starving after that walk."

"I second that," Dotty agreed as she snapped her menu open. "Everything just looks so delicious, I think I want to try it all."

"I think we can arrange that, Dotty. Or pretty close to it," Lee laughed. They ordered different appetizers, and the Seafood Surf Rider for the family to share. The meal consisted of steamed scallops, shrimp, and crab with a side of French fries. Lee also ordered a Surf Rider crab pot, filled with crab legs, shrimp, clams, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and even broccoli with hollandaise.

"Sweetheart, that's an awful lot of food," Amanda groaned.

"No way, Mom," Philip stated as he tapped his stomach for emphasis. "I'm so hungry right now. Must be all that salt air."

The waitress brought their drinks and the first round of appetizers. The boys and even Dotty emitted sighs and groans of satisfaction with each bite. Lee slipped his hand into Amanda's under the table, thankful their first vacation meal was starting off as a success.

Over an hour later, as the waitress cleared their dishes, Philip declared, "This place is the best. We need to find a place like this at home."

"I know of a few places we could try. Your mom can tell you when we first met, I didn't cook for myself much. I ate out more than anything and I think I've tried almost every restaurant in the DC and Georgetown area," Lee admitted. "But, I wouldn't trade anything for a home cooked meal now."

"Me, either. I have to admit, Tuesdays have become one of my favorite dinner nights," Dotty interjected.

"Well, maybe when we move, we can figure out other nights the boys can make dinner," Lee suggested.

As they stood and walked toward the outside door of the restaurant, Philip asked, "Are we moving soon?"

"Soon enough. And, remember, we don't have to rush. We can move a little bit at a time, figure out where everything goes. And when your Dad and Carrie get back from their honeymoon, your mom is going to sit down with them and talk about the house. He still owns part of it," Lee explained as he held the door for everyone.

Amanda hung back until everyone else was through before she slipped her hand around his waist, kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, "Thank you."

"You can thank me later when everyone else is asleep," Lee whispered as he brushed his lips across her temple with a smile.

"Oh, you," Amanda groaned as she rolled her eyes, but he didn't miss the twinkle they had or how she bit her lip.


	9. Chapter 9

Amanda squeezed Lee's hand lovingly as the family walked back toward the hotel. She couldn't help but watch the light sparkle off her diamond engagement ring as their entwined hands swung while they walked. Every few minutes, Lee would pull her hand upward and brush his lips against her fingers. They stopped to enjoy the sounds of an outdoor concert by a local musician before they continued on their way back to the hotel. Dotty smiled when she noticed Lee step up behind Amanda, his arms around her waist and his chin tucked on her shoulder. The boys planted themselves in the sand and listened to the sounds of the music happily. It was late when the singer wrapped up her final set and Lee couldn't hide the yawn that escaped his lips.

"Sweetheart, it's late, we should get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day," Amanda said quietly as she turned in his arms and wrapped her hands around his waist to hug him.

"Come on, boys. Let's head back to the hotel and get some sleep," Dotty said to her grandsons before Amanda had a chance to say it. When the boys stood, she linked her arms through theirs and announced, "My two handsome escorts." Both boys groaned but laughed loudly when she pulled them closer and kissed each of their cheeks.

Amanda watched the small scene close by happily. "Just be careful, Mother, you don't know what they may try to convince you to do!" she called over, eliciting another laugh from the boys.

Arm in arm, they walked back to the hotel. At one point, Jamie joked he was the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz to which Dotty exclaimed, "Well, I'm Dorothy." Philip laughed along with them as he said, "That makes me the Scarecrow."

Lee leaned close to Amanda's ear and whispered, "There's only one Scarecrow in this family."

Amanda smiled in response but didn't say a word. Instead, she squeezed his hand tighter and leaned her head on his shoulder.

When they reached the hotel, the lobby was much less crowded than it was earlier, and the elevator was empty as they rode up to their floor. Once in their room, the boys quickly changed into cotton shorts and t-shirts and brushed their teeth while Dotty prepared herself for bed. Lee excused himself to go back down to the car to get his overnight bag when he couldn't find his shaving kit. By the time he returned, the boys were completely settled, Dotty was reading and Amanda was already in the shower. He closed the door separating the two rooms with a "Goodnight, everyone" to which Dotty replied quietly, "Have a good night, Lee."

He could hear Amanda happily humming in the shower so he quickly stripped down and entered the small, steamy room quietly. He stepped into the small tub behind her and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder. Amanda reached up behind her and pulled his head lower "Is everyone asleep?" she whispered.

"The boys were almost out when I poked my head in, your mother is reading," Lee whispered back between the kisses he was sprinkling across her shoulders and the back of her neck, thankful her hair was pulled up exposing the soft, sensitive skin he loved.

Amanda continued to hum as she leaned closer, her back against his chest and his arm encircled her waist. She covered his hand with her own as she ran her fingers through his hair. Lee shifted his hips closer as he tilted her chin upward him. He covered her mouth with his as his tongue found hers, drawing it out. As Amanda turned in his arms, the warm water cascaded over her shoulders and pooled where their bodies were now pressed together. She linked her hands behind his neck and pulled him closer as she kissed him.

Lee wrapped his arms around her slim body and turned her against the side of the tub wall enclosure, out of the direct stream of the water. He growled low in his throat as he caught the wall with one hand and her jaw with the other. Amanda whimpered with desire as he assaulted her mouth and jaw with wet kisses. "Lee," she whispered when his lips found her neck and gently sucked on the pulse point now fluttering. She ran her hands down his back, as she followed the path the water took.

Lee tickled his fingers down her side and lifted her hip and caressed her leg and the soft skin behind her knee. Amanda wrapped her leg around his in an attempt to pull him even closer. She reveled with the increased contact of his skin against hers. He slipped his hand between them to touch her sensitive bundle of nerves. Amanda moaned again in response and dug her nails into his arm as she gasped in pleasure. She brought her hands to his face and kissed him fervently. "Lee," she whispered, "We should take this in the other room."

Lee kissed her once more as he abruptly turned the water off and lifted Amanda out of the tub, her legs wrapped around his waist. He continued to kiss her softly as he carried her to one of the beds. They were both still dripping wet, but neither seemed to mind as Lee laid her on the edge of the bed. Amanda dropped her head back as he kissed the pale column of skin along her neck. She moaned softly when Lee captured the puckered tip of one breast in his mouth, as his hand lovingly cupped the other.

Amanda fluttered her hands across his shoulders and she tried to pull him closer by locking her heels behind his legs. Lee chuckled low in his throat as he whispered, "Not yet." Amanda squeaked when his tongue swirled around her navel on his path downward. He placed his finger over her lips as he smiled and shushed her. Amanda took his finger between her lips and gently sucked the tip rhythmically and grazed her teeth across it. Lee chucked again, while he gently dragged his finger in a sensual line down her chin, neck and between her breasts. He kneeled on the floor as he kissed her inner thigh, all while he continued to trace the imaginary line down her sternum, toward her navel, and into the soft curls at the apex of her pelvis.

Amanda squirmed on the edge of the bed, her desire building. Lee watched as she closed her eyes when he leaned forward to taste her. Her hips tilted to give him more access as she sighed and her hands found themselves buried in his hair. He slipped a single digit into her hot, wet core as he suckled the sensitive bundle of nerves just above. Amanda lifted her chin and arched her back when he began to stroke her, her hips counter-thrusting his movements. She cried his name quietly and gripped his shoulder with her fingers. Lee smiled when he heard her, and quickly moved to cover her body with his. He wrapped his arm beneath her to lift her closer to the top of the bed.

Amanda tilted her hips as his burgeoning erection pressed against her entrance, her legs wrapped around him once more. Lee stopped and glanced over at his overnight bag, the condoms he'd packed, still inside. Amanda sensed his hesitation and whispered in his ear, "It's okay, Sweetheart." Lee plunged into her depths without a second thought and groaned at the sensation. Knowing the boys and Dotty were just on the other side of the wall, he rocked his hips gently but effectively. Amanda cried out softly beside his ear and arched her back again.

Together they slowly rocked their way to the pinnacle they were both searching for. Amanda bit down gently on his shoulder to stifle the moans and groans of pleasure Lee was eliciting. He covered her face with kisses and when he finally entwined their hands together over her head, he felt Amanda squeeze tightly as she rocketed skyward and exploded in ecstasy. Her hips were still twitching when he found his own release, flooding her with his essence. "Manda," he whispered when he finally caught his breath, "That was simply amazing. You are amazing."

Amanda panted as she tried to slow her breathing. "You don't think they heard us, do you?" she asked quietly as she glanced at the connecting door.

Lee shook his head and replied, "I think we're ok, but it is getting late. We should try to get some sleep. We have a lot to see tomorrow. Do you think they're going to be up for it?" He brushed her hair off her face lovingly.

Amanda smiled in return, "Mother can't wait. She mentioned the art show and of course, Philip already said he wants to watch the women's volleyball tournament." Lee rolled to his side and stretched out onto his back, pulling Amanda close to him. She leaned up on an elbow and said, "I'm going to shower again quickly while you turn down the bed. I hope you remembered something to sleep in and not just your boxers."

Lee looked at her with mock surprise, "I'll have you know, I packed everything to keep this weekend family friendly, including pajamas. It's not my fault your mother insisted we have our own room."

Amanda brushed a kiss across his lips, stood and headed into the bathroom, stopping at her suitcase long enough to get a nightgown, "I'll be out in a few minutes."


	10. Chapter 10

Amanda awoke curled up beside Lee, but her neck was stiff and uncomfortable. She groaned when she rolled over and winced as she sat up. She glanced over at Lee who was still sleeping. He grunted in his sleep, shifted his body closer to her then settled himself again. She checked the clock and it was still early, so she quietly headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She tried sitting in the chair by the window to read while she waited for the rest of the family to wake up, but each time she moved her head, the pain would shoot into her shoulder. She dug into her purse, found the aspirin bottle and popped two into her hand. She swallowed them with a glass of water and as she put the bottle back in her purse she heard Lee mumble, "Amanda?"

"I'm here," she replied as she moved slowly back toward the bed.

"What time is it?" Lee mumbled again, his eyes open barely a crack.

"Just after seven," she answered as she brought her hand up to her neck, trying to massage it. She winced audibly when she touched a particularly sensitive spot.

Lee opened his eyes immediately, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, really. I just woke up with a kink in my neck," Amanda admitted as she sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't want to worry him so she did her best to downplay how uncomfortable she was.

Lee sat up and scratched his head as he yawned himself awake. "Let me take care of some morning business and I'll massage it for you," he stated as he stood and crossed to the bathroom. A few minutes later he emerged carrying a small bottle of lotion.

In the adjoining room, Dotty was awake as well. She looked at the boys, still sound asleep and headed into the bathroom. Once she brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her hair, she cinched her robe tightly around her and headed to the door separating the two rooms. She was about to knock when she heard Lee's voice.

Lee sat down on the bed beside her and said, "Show me where it is."

Amanda gestured at the tender area as she tried to tilt her head to the side. Lee poked and prodded the area slowly, Amanda cried out in response, "Oh, ow."

"I'm sorry, I'll try to be gentler this time," Lee apologized as he squeezed lotion onto his hand. He massaged the stiff muscle for a minute then declared, "You need to lay down so I can take care of this for you. I'll make it feel all better, I promise."

Dotty covered her mouth, embarrassed she may have interrupted a private moment. Her mouth dropped open when she heard Amanda say, "Oh, Lee, you can do that any time you want. That feels so good."

"I told you before, Amanda, I have magic fingers," Lee continued to massage the sore spot on her neck and shoulder. "You're so tight, we'll probably have to do this a few times today."

Beside her, Philip opened his eyes and yawned. "Grandma, what time is it?" he asked quietly.

Dotty leaned down and rubbed his head as she replied, "Just after seven. You're awake early."

Philip sat up, stretched and declared, "There's so much to do. I don't want to waste any time!"

Dotty moved away from the door and toward her suitcase where she pulled out a blouse and pair of white cotton capris. Philip took a few minutes in the bathroom then immediately headed toward the door separating the two rooms. "I'm gonna see if Mom and Lee are up," he stated.

Dotty threw her hands up and tried to stop him from opening the door. "I'm sure they're up, but maybe you should -"

"Oh good!" Philip declared as he pulled the door open, Dotty immediately covered her eyes. "Hey Mom, Lee!" he said as he stepped into the room. "What are we doing first today?"

Amanda looked up and smiled at her son as Lee said, "Morning, bud. You the first one up?"

Philip plopped himself down on the bed beside Amanda and said, "Nah, Grandma's up too. Jamie is still aslee-"

"No, I'm not!" Jamie yelled out as he dove on the bed beside his brother.

Lee, who had been sitting precariously on the edge, was bounced off onto the floor with the force of Jamie's body hitting the mattress. Amanda tried to hide the giggle that bubbled up as she asked, "Lee, are you okay?"

Lee stood slowly and narrowed his eyes at Jamie as he stepped closer to him.

"I'm… I'm… I'm sorry, Lee, I was just playing," Jamie stuttered nervously when Lee stopped moving and just looked down on him. He was completely taken by surprise when Lee surged forward and pinned him down, tickling his ribs. Jamie tried to roll over and grab ahold of Philip unaware that Lee had reached for him as well, his fingers finding his collarbone.

Amanda stood quickly to avoid the fray now happening on the bed. Dotty appeared in the doorway, confused. "Amanda? What is going on?" she asked, but as soon as she saw Lee tickling the boys she immediately smiled. "Looks like everyone is getting a piece of Lee's action today," she stated cryptically.

Amanda looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Mother?" she asked, unsure what she meant by her comment.

Dotty just smiled, patted Amanda's arm and said, "Everyone starts the day off happy and Lee is the reason. Now, I'm getting hungry, let's see if we can break up these boys and head down to get some breakfast."

Amanda laughed when she realized the boys were attempting to pin down Lee and tickle him. However, with each attempt, he easily swept their hand away with a self-defense move. After a few attempts, Philip stopped and stated seriously, "Hey, how do you do that?"

Jamie stopped trying to tickle Lee and looked at Philip, confused. Lee was smiling ear to ear, his dimples as deep as ever as he laughed and asked, "Do what?"

Philip waved his hand around, trying to mimic what Lee was doing, "You know, that thing. Deflecting us."

Lee straightened up to his full height as he pulled his T-shirt down and smoothed it out. "It's self-defense. You use your opponent's momentum against them. Tell you what, when we get back, I'll set up some gym time and teach you boys a few things," Lee offered. He looked at Amanda then quickly added, "if your Mom says that's all right." Amanda blinked slowly and nodded, earning a quick hug from both Philip and Jamie.

"Now that we're all awake, how about you boys get ready and we can head downstairs for some breakfast so we start the rest of our day," Amanda gently steered the boys to the other hotel room to change.

The boys continued moving forward as Lee announced, "I'm going to shower." Amanda almost immediately heard the bathroom door click closed.

Dotty put her hand on Amanda's arm and commented, "Amanda, if you and Lee need more time alone, I can bring the boys down for breakfast and meet you in say, an hour?"

Amanda looked at her mother quizzically and said, "No, Mother, that's not necessary. Lee will be out in just a few minutes."

Dotty simply waved her hand and said, "Well, if there is anything you want to finish…" She trailed off as she walked through the doorway. Amanda heard her state, "Boys, don't forget there are other people in this hotel."

Amanda raised an eyebrow and stepped into the room where her boys, only half dressed, were now having a pillow fight. "Boys!" she snapped, the two pillows immediately hitting the floor. They scrambled to finish dressing when Amanda crossed her arms and waited. Once she was satisfied they were ready, she turned and stepped back through the doorway. She inadvertently gasped when she saw Lee step out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, slung low on his hips. "Lee!" she whispered loudly and glanced over her shoulder to ensure no one else had followed her.

"What? I forgot my clothes," he laughed as he collected a pair of shorts, a polo shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. He continued to laugh even after the bathroom door closed behind him.


	11. Chapter 11

"Lee, please tell me you're going to order something more than just coffee?" Dotty questioned him, as they sat in the restaurant in the lobby of the hotel for breakfast. It was bustling with patrons, and they were lucky to get a table to seat all five of them comfortably.

Lee looked up from the menu he was studying and smiled at Dotty. "Normally, I would only drink a cup of coffee, but Amanda has given me a new appreciation for pancakes in the morning, so I was actually thinking of the 'lighter side pancakes'," he replied.

Amanda nearly choked on her juice when Lee spoke. She started coughing louder as she tried to catch her breath. "Amanda, dear, is something wrong?" Dotty raised an eyebrow as she patted her back.

Amanda took a sip of Lee's water and replied hoarsely, "No, Mother, nothing at all. Lee just surprised me when he said he wanted pancakes."

Lee smiled at her, knowing the private joke they shared was completely missed by the rest of the family. "I think pancakes might be my new favorite thing. How about you boys? What do you want for breakfast?"

Philip flipped the menu closed and declared, "The Two-fer. It comes with two pancakes, two eggs over easy, two sausages, two slices of bacon, two pieces of wheat toast." He saw four sets of eyes staring at him so he added, "What? I'm hungry."

"Well, I would like a western omelet, please. Do you think I could have home fried potatoes too, Mom?" Jamie asked politely.

Amanda ruffled her son's hair as she replied, "Of course, and whatever you don't finish, I'm sure your brother will. Everything on this menu looks so appealing, but I think I'm going to get two eggs scrambled with toast and fresh fruit. Mother?"

Dotty pursed her lips and contemplated what to order. The waitress was walking to their table, so she quickly decided, "Belgian waffles with fresh cut strawberries and powdered sugar. Oh, and I can't forget the whipped cream."

They all took turns explaining to the waitress their choices and when she took the menus away Lee said, "You know Dotty if you like Belgian waffles you would love Liège waffles."

Dotty shook her head, confused, "What is that? I'm not familiar with a Lie...lie…. What is it called again?"

Lee smiled and repeated, "Liège waffles. They are also known as  _gaufres de chasse_  or hunting waffles. They are made from a dough similar to brioche bread dough, except they are covered with chunks of pearl sugar which caramelizes on the outside of the waffle when it's baked."

Dotty rolled her eyes with delight and stated, "That sounds heavenly. Just where did you get to know so much about these hunting waffles?"

Lee swallowed a sip of coffee and replied carefully, "I was working in Belgium for a time before Amanda and I met. I had some of the most delicious food during that time."

"So how long have you worked for IFF?" Dotty asked innocently as she sipped her coffee.

"Just over ten years now. I've gotten to do a lot of traveling all over the world, but I think I will be keeping things closer to home from now on. I've spent a lot of time abroad, but it was just me without a family. So, it was okay for a time but now, ...well, ...now I'd rather be close to home." Lee rambled uncharacteristically as he continued to cast loving glances in Amanda's direction. Unconsciously, he reached across the table and took her hand in his, fingering her engagement ring lightly.

Dotty did not miss their loving exchanges and commented, "I can take the boys for a while this morning if you two would like to do some sightseeing on your own." She raised one eyebrow in Amanda's direction followed by a discrete wink.

Amanda's mouth formed an 'O' and she quickly pursed her lips together and hissed, "Mother, please."

Lee narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out what was happening between Dotty and Amanda but, he was interrupted when their food arrived and their overflowing plates were placed before each of them. Everyone dug into their meal heartily, although Amanda became tense. The conversation was suspended until everyone finished eating. Philip managed to eat everything on his plate as well as half of Jamie's potatoes.

Lee requested the bill and while Amanda finished eating, he gave the waitress his credit card to cover the bill. "Thank you, Lee. That was very kind of you to buy breakfast for everyone," Dotty stated as she gently reminded her grandsons they had manners.

"Yeah, thanks, Lee," both boys mumbled under their breath, embarrassed they had to be reminded.

"I think we should make one more trip up to the room, get some sunscreen and decide exactly who's going where," Amanda suggested.

"That is an excellent idea, Amanda," Lee smiled and pushed his chair in. The boys got up and copied him before they took off across the lobby, Lee only steps behind calling out, "Hey, fellas, wait up."

Amanda held back and linked her arm through her mother's as she said sternly, "Mother, what was that all about earlier?"

Dotty feigned innocence as she said, "I don't know what you're-"

Amanda cut her off, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. All your little hints about Lee and I spending time together."

Dotty stopped in the middle of the lobby and turned to Amanda. She glanced from right to left to ensure no one was within earshot as she said, "Sweetheart, next time you and Lee need some… private time… remember to lock the door perhaps."

"Mother, private time? What are you talking about?" Amanda asked incredulously.

"Amanda, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Some men prefer a little loving first thing in the morning. And from what I heard, you seemed to be enjoying yourself as well. After all, I've said it before, he is an eleven," Dotty replied lightly.

Amanda blushed with embarrassment, her cheeks flaming red when it dawned on her. "Mother, what you heard, what you think you heard… was nothing more than Lee massaging my neck. I woke up with a kink in it and he was trying to work it loose so I wouldn't be stiff all day," she explained.

Dotty stared at Amanda for a long minute before she began laughing loudly, drawing attention from the other guests walking around them. "So, when he was talking about magic fingers?" she giggled.

"He was rubbing my neck, yes, Mother. Oh, what am I going to do with you?" Amanda laughed loudly and arm in arm they walked to the elevators. Dotty laughed with her as they rode to their floor.

In the hotel room, Lee was helping rub sunscreen on Philip's back as Jamie sat on the bed flipping through a pamphlet he picked up in the lobby. "Lee, if I go with Mom and Grandma to the art show this morning do you think you and I could take pictures down by the boardwalk?" he asked.

"I don't see why not. Who knows, maybe your Mom and your grandmother will want to head that way also. I think there is a bikini contest down that way too this afternoon," Lee teased Philip.

"I didn't see that in the events list. I'm all over that!" Philip exclaimed as he grabbed the pamphlet out of Jamie's hands to find out what Lee was talking about. Lee laughed loudly when he found it, but what Lee had failed to mention is the contest was really "Big Baby Bikinis" for families with toddlers. When Philip finally found it he shook his head and said, "Thanks a lot, Lee."

"Thanks for what, Sweetheart?" Amanda asked, only hearing the tail end of the conversation.

"Lee was just teasing me about a bikini contest, only it's not a real bikini contest. Well, I guess it is a real one but not one I'm interested in," Philip explained as he pulled his shirt back on.

"Jamie, did you remember to put sunscreen on your ears?" Amanda reminded him.

"Yes, Mom and on my face and on the back of my neck," Jamie rolled his eyes.

"Sounds like you have this all under control then. So, Mother, Jamie and I are going to head up to the art and photography show. Lee, you and Philip are heading down the beach to watch the girls doubles volleyball tournament. Let's say we meet for lunch around one o'clock. Then we can decide what we want to do this afternoon," Amanda confirmed.

"Well, I was just telling Lee I'd like to go down to the boardwalk with him to take some pictures," Jamie said slowly.

"I think that's a great idea. I'm sure I can find something to do with Philip and your grandmother," Amanda hugged him.

"Sounds like we have the start of our day planned. Let's head out!" Lee announced as he opened the door.

Amanda purposefully held back until everyone else was in the hall and whispered, "Mother thought we were having a moment this morning when you were massaging my neck."

"A moment?" Lee asked surprised.

"Yeah, you know… a moment," Amanda stated with emphasis.

Lee narrowed his eyes and tilted his head to the side as he looked at her, but then her words finally connected. He shook his head as a smile spread across his face. "Does she want a massage too because I'm pretty sure my magic fingers will do the trick if she has a stiff neck, too," Lee teased with a dimpled smile.

"Come on!" Amanda pulled him into the hall by the buttons on his shirt, laughing as they walked to the elevators.


	12. Chapter 12

"Lee, check out those players!" Philip exclaimed as they walked closer to the series of volleyball nets set up along one section of the beach. The players were warming up, tapping the ball back and forth to each other. They found a seat in the sand where they could easily watch two games. Philip pointed out one player in particular, "She has to be as tall as you!"

Lee had to admit most of the players were beautiful statuesque young women, very lean and muscular, wearing small athletic bikini's that offered minimal coverage but enough support in the places it mattered most. The games began and it wasn't long before both Lee and Philip were rooting on teams with the crowd around them. The sun was warm and a cooling breeze off the water helped keep the temperature very comfortable. As the games progressed, Lee discovered that Philip knew more about volleyball than he did. Philip explained a few calls Lee didn't understand and Lee admitted the game had changed from when he'd played in high school gym class.

After the second round, Lee suggested they get a drink at a nearby vendor, but Philip didn't want to lose their spot so Lee went alone. As he waited for their lemonades, a tall blonde woman stepped closer to him. "Hi, I'm Tara. Are you enjoying the games?"

Lee smiled back politely as he answered, "Hi, Tara, I'm Lee. Yes, I'm impressed with how competitive the players are. I wasn't expecting this, I guess."

Tara smiled back, her blue eyes wide, "I'll be playing this afternoon. You should watch. It can be quite…educational." She leaned close to Lee's ear and whispered, "Maybe we can get a drink later."

Politely, Lee leaned away and looked over at Philip who was intently watching him. He waved before he turned back to Tara, and said with a smile, "My wife and sons may not like that very much, but I'm sure my oldest there is going to enjoy watching you play later."

Tara wrinkled her nose as she stepped away. "Oh, I didn't realize, you aren't wearing a ring, so I just thought…" she stammered.

"It's being sized," he replied sarcastically. He collected their drinks from the vendor and without another word he walked back to Philip.

"Who was THAT?" Philip asked, confused.

Lee just laughed and said, "She thought I was someone else, I guess. She's playing later this afternoon, though."

Philip took a sip of his drink and replied, "Too bad I'll be with Mom and Grandma this afternoon. I'll bet they won't want to watch volleyball."

Lee shook his head and said, "Maybe not, but I'm sure you'll find something to do you all will enjoy. I think I saw something about an ice cream fest too, not too far from the boardwalk. We could all start there after lunch and Jamie and I can make our way down the boardwalk."

"That sounds like a great plan to me!" Philip exclaimed. His attention was quickly drawn back to the match when the crowd around them cheered. He and Lee began cheering right along with it as the close match was on game point.

While Lee and Philip were engrossed in the volleyball games, Amanda, Dotty, and Jamie were wandering through the displays in the makeshift outdoor art gallery. They were mesmerized by the beautiful paintings, sculptures, and photographs at every turn. Jamie stopped every few minutes to examine one of the displays, looking at it from every angle he could. Dotty smiled at some of the sillier artwork stating, "Amanda, we should have pulled out some of the boys' old arts and crafts projects. They look pretty much the same as these do." Amanda replied with a smile, a laugh or a simple eye roll and head shake.

They turned toward the final aisle when Jamie shouted, "Mom, Mom! I can't believe it!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

"Jamie, what has gotten into you? Lower your voice," she reprimanded him as she tried to pull her arm loose.

"But Mom, It's here! I can't believe it's here!" he stated excitedly as he pointed at something near the far end of the row.

"Amanda, you might as well follow him," Dotty suggested. She knew when her grandson got that excited over something, nothing would calm him down until he got it out of his system.

"Okay, okay," Amanda replied. "Now, what did you see, Sweetheart?"

"Follow me," Jamie tugged on her arm again and grabbed Dotty's hand with his free hand. "Come on, Grandma, you too."

Dotty laughed as Jamie pulled the two of them along until she spotted what he'd already seen. She stopped in her tracks, tears immediately filled her eyes. She gasped then covered her mouth with one hand. Amanda, confused, followed her line of sight until she saw what they had seen. It was a framed poster-sized image of the photography Mrs. White had taken of them on the break wall. It was just after Lee had spun her around, his body angled away from the camera and Amanda's face mostly hidden by her hair, but the wave was frozen above them, the sky ablaze with the sunset and in the distance, the dolphins could still be seen

There was a small group of people standing close by, all commenting on the photo as they approached. "Mom, do you think the photographer is here?" Jamie asked.

Amanda scanned the area but didn't see Mrs. White anywhere. She shook her head, pursed her lips together before she said, "I don't see her. Tell you what, if I do see her, I'll be sure to introduce you."

When they stepped closer to the picture, Dotty sighed. "Amanda, I hope you can get a larger print for the house. This would look beautiful in the…wait, what am I saying? I was thinking in the den, but this would look beautiful in the new house. Maybe not this big, but a bigger print than the one in the book."

Amanda put her arm around her mother's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "I agree, Mother. Mrs. White gave us the negative so maybe I'll have someone print us one. Not sure where we'd put it just yet," she agreed.

"Well, I know we weren't in the house all that long but there was that wall in the living room. What if you hung all the pictures there?" Dotty suggested.

Jamie moved closer to the image and was studying it intently when a woman's voice caused him to jump back. "It's a once in a lifetime shot," the voice said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so close. It's just… I was trying to figure out how you got everything so clear," he stammered.

"Mrs. White!" Amanda exclaimed when she realized who was talking to Jamie.

"Mrs…" Mrs. White started, but Amanda cut her off, "Amanda, please." Mrs. White nodded with a smile and continued, "Amanda, I'm surprised to see you here again so soon."

Amanda took a deep breath as she thought about how she was going to explain Lee without raising any red flags. "We're here on a family vacation. This is my youngest son, Jamie, and my mother, Dotty."

Mrs. White offered her hand to Dotty and said, "It's very nice to meet you. I hope you enjoyed the photographs. I tried to explain to Amanda the last time they were here, that I have never seen anything like it. And this," she waved her hand at the photograph, "this will never happen again, I'm sure. It's as though King Neptune himself was blessing them."

Jamie looked at her, puzzled. He looked back at the image and then at Amanda before he said, "I don't get it."

Mrs. White smiled, "Well, you see, King Neptune is the Roman god of the Sea and it is said he blesses those he deems worthy. Dolphins are considered the symbol of love as Aphrodite herself would take the form of a dolphin. So, with the wave and the dolphins in the distance, it seems like your parents have a very special love that is blessed by the gods."

Jamie blinked several times as he let the information sink in. He opened his mouth once, then closed it and opened it a second time before he finally managed to say, "That's pretty cool."

Amanda smiled and put her arms around her son to hug him. "Don't worry, Sweetheart, I still love you, too," she teased.

"Mrs. White, do you think you could show me how to get the image this clear? I'm still learning…Lee…my…" Jamie stopped as he tried to figure out exactly how he could define Lee.

"Stepdad?" Amanda offered and hoped her mother didn't correct her.

"Yeah," Jamie nodded then continued, "he's been teaching me about the camera settings and I've gotten pretty good at some of it, but it doesn't even come close to this."

Mrs. White took Jamie by the elbow and moved the small group out of the tent and into a small area away from the crowd. She removed her camera from the bag on her shoulder and showed Jamie the settings dial on the lens. "It's all here. If you can adjust it just right, the magic happens," she explained.

Jamie looked at the camera intently then pulled out the camera Lee gave him to practice with. "So if I just turn this," Jamie tried to show her the dial he was touching.

"Not that one," Mrs. White moved his fingers to the next dial on the lens, "this one."

Jamie held the camera up and focused on a person in the crowd. Slowly he turned the dial she indicated and looked up at her. "Thanks," was the only word he could breathe out.

"Glad to see I can be of some help," she smiled and touched his head.

"I can't wait to take pictures this afternoon with Lee and show him this!" Jamie exclaimed as he looked through the lens then over the camera again.

"Here, let me show you how to get back to the boardwalk," Mrs. White said as she led them toward the crowd slowly moving along. "Will you be here all weekend?" she asked.

"I believe our plan is for Jamie and Lee to spend time together this afternoon while we spend time with Amanda and my other grandson," Dotty said with a smile.


	13. Chapter 13

The family met in the lobby of the hotel to decide what they wanted to do for lunch. There were plenty of food vendors on the boardwalk, so Amanda suggested a picnic on the beach before they parted ways again. Everyone picked a different vendor and twenty minutes later they sat near the water's edge. Amanda sat beside Lee, Dotty across from them and the boys on either side. Jamie was very excited to tell Lee all about Mrs. White's suggestion and pointers on the camera lens whereas Philip told Amanda all about the volleyball games. When he told her the story of the woman who "mistook" Lee for someone else, Amanda raised an eyebrow in Lee's direction only for him to respond with a shrug of his shoulders and a smile. Even Dotty was excited to tell Lee about the artwork they saw and how many ideas she had for where they could hang photographs in their new house.

Lee leaned back onto his elbow, his head close to Amanda's lap. She absentmindedly played with his hair as she looked out over the water. Lee closed his eyes and relaxed to the sound of the waves behind him. While the two adults were distracted, Jamie stood up and walked back a few steps then snapped several pictures, adjusting the setting each time. He rejoined the group and asked, "Lee, can you show me where you proposed to Mom?"

Amanda smiled at her son and looked down toward the opposite end of the beach. She raised her arm and pointed as she said, "You see that break wall down there? It was right in the middle of that."

Jamie stood to get a better view over the crowd on the beach. He could barely make out the stone wall jutting out into the water. "Can we go there? Before we leave?" he asked.

Lee sat up higher, his forearms on his knees as he asked, "What's the big interest in the break wall, Chief?"

Jamie looked down at the sand and dug his toes in before he answered quietly, "Because, that's where we became a family."

Lee sprang to his feet and stood in front of Jamie, his hands on his shoulders. "We are a family, not because of what happened on that wall. We are a family because I care a great deal about you, your brother, your grandmother and especially your Mom. We are a family, no matter what happens," Lee stated.

Jamie looked up at Lee, his hazel eyes wet as he blinked behind his glasses. He didn't say anything, he just put his arms around Lee's waist and hugged him. Lee dropped his chin onto the top of Jamie's head and held him close. He wasn't surprised when he felt Amanda's arms around them. Lee looked up to see Amanda smiling back at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dotty and Philip get up and join them. The group hug lasted for a few more seconds before Jamie sputtered out, "I can't breathe now." Laughing they settled back down in the sand to finish eating.

"Jamie, how about you and I start at the break wall and work our way to the pier? That's just over a mile and I'll bet there will be plenty of things you can take pictures of. There are the boats on the horizon or whatever is washing up on shore," Lee suggested.

"Mr. Stetson!" A voice called to him. Lee looked around and saw Mrs. White heading in their direction. He raised his hand and waved before standing to greet her. "Hello, everyone!" she greeted the family.

"Mrs. White. Jamie and Dotty were telling us about the art show," Lee said with a smile.

Mrs. White looked at everyone and announced, "I'm so excited! That picture just won Best in Show in the Photography division! I had to find you and tell you! I don't know how to thank you."

Amanda stood and gave Mrs. White a hug as she said, "Congratulations! That's wonderful news." Lee followed suit with a hug, the boys opting to shake her hand. Dotty stood back and smiled but did congratulate her as well.

"What's next for you, then?" Lee asked curiously. "You will be the most popular photographer on the beach front."

"Next weekend my husband and I will be in DC for his work conference. Actually, he'll be at the conference, I'll be a tourist for the weekend," she explained. She was smiling from ear to ear, unable to contain herself.

Dotty raised her eyebrows before she said, "Amanda, can I have a word with you… privately?"

Amanda looked at her mother then at Lee. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Sure, Mother," she replied and the two stepped a few feet away to talk without anyone overhearing.

Lee watched Amanda listen to Dotty then shake her head. They were standing just far enough away that he couldn't hear them, but he could tell by Amanda's reaction she wasn't in full agreement with her mother. Dotty stepped away from Amanda as Amanda covered her eyes and announced, "Mrs. White, I'd like to hire you next Saturday evening if that's okay with you? We are in need of a photographer and well, after seeing what you can do with a camera, there is no one else qualified enough in my book."

Lee met Amanda's gaze with alarm. Thinking quickly, he said, "I'm sure the last thing you want to do on a weekend away with your husband is work."

"Nonsense, Lee! You and Amanda deserve the best photographer for your wedding and from what I've seen, she is the best!" Dotty insisted.

Mrs. White looked from Amanda's pale face to Lee's panicked one to Dotty's stern one and said, "I would love to photograph their wedding. Maybe we can meet later today or tomorrow, just Amanda and Lee and go over all the details."

Lee let out the breath he was holding and nodded, "Yeah, yeah we could do that. Tomorrow before we leave to drive back. In your office? At the hotel?"

With a sweet smile, Mrs. White replied, "How does nine o'clock sound? That won't interrupt your day too much, will it?"

"No, that will be perfect. Mother and the boys can pack the car while we meet. It should be easy enough, right Mother?" Amanda gushed. The nervous butterflies in her stomach were just beginning to settle.

"But I'm paying for this, no matter what the cost!" Dotty reached up and touched first Amanda's cheek, then Lee's. "After all, you only get married to each other once, right?"

"Can we get going now?" Philip interrupted. "I don't want to miss the ice cream fest."

"Well then, boys, let's clean up this mess and head our separate ways again," Amanda declared with a clap of her hands. The boys quickly scrambled to pick up the remnants and wrappers from their lunch and trudged up the beach to throw everything away in the nearest trash can.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you both tomorrow morning," Mrs. White said just before she headed in the same direction as the boys.

Lee could see the boys struggling to get everything in the overflowing barrel and announced, "I'm going to go help them." He didn't wait for a reply as he jogged through the sand.

"Amanda, you would tell me if something was going on, wouldn't you?" Dotty asked cryptically.

Amanda put her arm around Dotty's shoulders and said with a squeeze, "Of course, Mother. Why do you ask that?"

Dotty leaned her head against Amanda's and said, "Lee didn't seem too excited about Mrs. White photographing your wedding, that's all."

Amanda squeezed her again as she said, "Oh Mother, he's just camera shy, that's all." What Dotty didn't see was Amanda rolling her eyes skyward.


	14. Chapter 14

Amanda linked her arm into Philip's as they strolled through the tables sampling ice cream. He'd already eaten six samples and was debating on what flavor he wanted to try next. Dotty walked alongside them dipping a spoon into the last sampling she picked up, a small cup of fudge maple ripple. They stopped several times and talked to each vendor before moving onto the next table. Philip finally decided on one last flavor, chocolate peanut butter swirl. He hummed happily with each spoonful as they found seats along the pier and watched as families strolled by.

"Mom," Philip asked, "When do you think we can move into the new house?"

"I'm not sure, Sweetheart, we haven't signed all the paperwork yet. I know Lee was hoping to do that on Monday, but that's only if it is ready," Amanda explained.

"Can I paint my room? Before we move in? I mean, I like the room and all, but yellow just isn't my favorite color. I was thinking blue or green would look better," he explained.

Amanda smiled and replied, "You can paint it any color within reason. When we get back, you and I can head to the hardware store and pick out a sample, how's that sound?"

Dotty nodded and said, "I think that sounds like an excellent idea. I was thinking that myself. Most of the rooms are painted that neutral cream color. There's no personality to the rooms."

"That's why when we move in, we're going to make it our home with our things, our colors. We still need to figure out what furniture is going to go where and there's all the furniture in Lee's apartment we have to consider," Amanda reminded them.

"Jamie said he likes the color of his room but not me!" Philip exclaimed.

Amanda smiled at Philip, "I don't think Lee has a preference on color, to be honest. He hasn't said anything but then again, he might be waiting for us to decide together."

"How do you think Jamie and Lee are doing right now?" Dotty asked as she looked over her shoulder, scanning the beach below for any sign of them.

Amanda smiled, put her hand on her mother's arm and said, "If lunch is any indication of the relationship they are building, I think things are going just fine."

"I'm sorry, Lee, I didn't mean to knock you into the water," Jamie apologized again as Lee was wringing water out of his shirt. He'd been standing on one of the rocks, trying to get a good picture when he lost his balance. Lee tried to grab him before he fell but lost his own footing. He ended up falling into the water, landing on his backside, waist deep. Jamie managed to get his feet under him before he landed in the water also.

Lee grimaced when he looked at Jamie, but when he saw his frightened face he quickly suppressed his anger. He knew the instant he hit the water he yelled "Dammit, Jamie!" and he had scared him. "It's ok, it's ok, I'll dry," he groused. He pulled his damp shirt back on and stood up. "Let's move away from the rocks. Maybe we can find something else to take pictures of?" He suggested.

Jamie backed up several steps when he spotted a seagull in the sky. He held up the camera and quickly snapped off a few shots before lowering the camera again. He thought for a few seconds before he said, "Grandma likes starfish and shells. Do you think we could find some on the beach?"

Lee nodded, reached out and touched Jamie's head. "Yeah, yeah I bet we could. Let's start heading in the direction of the pier," he said as he pointed down the beach.

Together they slowly made their way along the waterline, Jamie stopped every few yards to take a picture before he began walking again. Lee jammed his hands in the pocket of his wet shorts, uncomfortably. He wanted to hurry Jamie along so he could get changed back at the hotel out of his wet clothes, but the look on the boy's face told him he needed to be patient.

It was almost an hour before they finally reached the other end of the beach. Lee looked up when he heard Amanda's voice calling them from above. "Lee! What happened?" she called down to them. His shirt was wrinkled and stiff from the salt water as were his shorts.

"It was my fault, Mom," Jamie admitted. He'd spent the last hour trying to figure out how he could make it up to Lee. Lee was patient with him, pointing out different camera angles, finding interesting shells, crabs, and starfish for him to photograph and he even went as far as to collect a few sand dollars for him to take home. Jamie didn't know what he could do to apologize to Lee. He figured the only thing he could do would be to ask Amanda for advice. The last thing he wanted was Lee mad at him the rest of the weekend.

"I'm sure you didn't mean it, Sweetheart. Tell you what, you head up to the boardwalk and we'll meet you there. I'll even get you some ice cream on the way. What flavor would you like?" Amanda called down to them again.

"Anything is fine. I'd like to take a shower and change my clothes though," Lee admitted.

"Can I have chocolate ice cream, Mom?" Jamie asked tentatively.

"Sure can! We'll meet you down there," Amanda said as she pointed in the direction of the boardwalk. "See you in a few minutes."

Dotty shook her head at Lee's appearance. "Poor Lee. He looks very uncomfortable. I have an idea…." she began as they walked back to the tables distributing the ice cream.

"What's that, Mother?" Amanda asked. She stopped at one table and found Cookies and Cream Cheesecake flavored ice cream for Lee.

Philip, now a few tables ahead, found chocolate ice cream for Jamie. He picked up two small cups and handed one to Dotty with a wink. "Thank you, Philip. I was thinking, if the boys wanted to hang out at the pool for a while, I would sit down there with them. I also saw an arcade a few doors down. They could go there for a bit… give you and Lee-" Dotty tried to explain when Amanda cut her off.

"Mother! I asked you not to do that anymore!" she snapped. "Philip, you do not need any more ice cream."

"I was getting two for Jamie, but the sign says you can only take one per person. That's why I handed it to Grandma," Philip explained.

"Amanda, if you would just listen, I can explain. Lee looks like he needs a shower and I think he's had some wonderful bonding time with both boys, BUT, I think he needs some time with you too," Dotty explained.

Amanda lowered her eyes as she contemplated what Dotty just said. Lee had spent all morning with Philip and now a good portion of the afternoon with Jamie. She decided it would be nice to spend a little bit of time, just the two of them together. With a sigh, she said, "Only if you're certain, Mother. After all, this is your weekend too. I'm sure there must be something you want to do."

Dotty smiled at her daughter and replied, "Tomorrow, before we leave, I simply want to spend time with Lee, alone. That's it."

Amanda bit her bottom lip as she raised an eyebrow at Dotty. "Mother? What do you have going on in that mind of yours?" she asked suspiciously.

"Amanda, darling, I just want to spend a little bit of time with my soon-to-be son-in-law. Is that too much to ask?" she asked sweetly.

Amanda knew that tone and knew Dotty had something up her sleeve, but let it go. "All right, Mother. If you say so." They neared the edge of the pier where Lee and Jamie were waiting for them.

"Hey, Bozo! I have your ice cream!" Philip teased as they got closer. He held out the small cup, but just as Jamie reached out to take it, he darted to his right and started running.

"Hey, come on!" Jamie yelled back as he started to chase his brother.

"Boys! Boys!" Dotty yelled after them as Amanda stopped and handed Lee the ice cream she'd picked up for him.

Philip and Jamie darted in and out of the people crossing the street as they ran back to the hotel, Dotty not far behind. Amanda and Lee just watched and laughed when Jamie finally caught up to Philip because a slow-moving family blocked his way. Amanda couldn't help but smile when Philip handed Jamie the cup and put his arm around his brother's shoulders while they waited for Dotty to catch up.

"Mother's going to take the boys down to the pool then to the arcade next door for a bit. She thought you and I could use a little bit of time together after you take a shower," Amanda explained after Lee guided her across the street toward the hotel lobby.

"She doesn't have to do that," Lee stated. He was feeling bad about snapping at Jamie and although he tried to make it up to him, he wasn't sure if he succeeded.

They crossed the lobby and waited at the elevator doors. "She knows that. She said you've been spending so much time bonding with the boys, I need my time with you too," she said quietly as they entered the elevator and pressed the button for their floor.

"Well, we need to do something special for her then," Lee declared.

"About that," Amanda began, "Mother wants her own time with you, alone, tomorrow."

Lee stopped and stared at her before he said, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Before he could reply, he heard Dotty call out, "Lee? Amanda? I could use some help here!"


	15. Chapter 15

Lee and Amanda exited the elevator to find Dotty searching her purse. "What's wrong, Mother?" Amanda asked when they got closer.

"I can't find my room key," Dotty explained as she searched her bag once more.

Lee pulled out the key to their adjoining room and unlocked the door. He walked through the room and opened the door for them. He spotted her key and lifted it up with a smile as he said, "Is this what you were looking for?"

Dotty nodded and said, "I must have left it on the table this morning. I could have sworn I put it in my bag."

"It's all right, Dotty, we all have our moments," Lee replied. Jamie and Philip were pulling swim trunks out of their suitcases and arguing over who was going to get into the bathroom first to change. "Hey boys, one of you can change in here, the other can use the other bathroom. There's no reason to argue over this."

Jamie looked sheepishly at Lee and without a word moved to the other room to change. He appeared a few minutes later wearing his trunks and carrying a towel. "I hope you don't mind. I grabbed an extra towel from your room," he stated.

"We don't mind at all, Sweetheart, we can get more from housekeeping if we need to. Now, go on with your brother and your grandmother and have a good time. We'll meet you guys in the arcade later if that's okay," Amanda stated.

Dotty nodded with a smile, "Are you sure, Amanda? I can bring the boys back here later and we can decide what to do for dinner. Unless you and Lee want to have dinner alone?" She looked at Amanda first, her eyebrows raised, then at Lee with a smile.

"No, Dotty, that's not necessary. This weekend is for all of us," Lee stated firmly. He shook his head and fought the frustration he was beginning to feel. He wanted them to spend time as a family and so far, he was feeling very disjointed. The only true family time they had was limited to meals. "I have an idea. After the arcade, let's get dinner at that restaurant down the street, Amanda, you know the one we went to with Charlie. Then let's see if we can rent a boat for a few hours tonight. You know, watch the sunset on the water. I think there are fireworks tonight too."

Amanda looked at the boys who responded excitedly, "You mean we can do that? What kind of boat? What time are the fireworks?" They fired off their questions so quickly, Lee couldn't even tell who was asking.

Amanda raised her hands to calm them, "Slow down, slow down. While you're at the pool, Lee and I will find out about a boat for tonight. We might not even be able to get one but we can try. There's no guarantee so don't get your hopes up too high. Just behave for your grandmother and we'll do our best."

Philip gave Amanda a quick hug as he darted toward the door, "Thanks, Mom, thanks, Lee." Jamie followed suit only he hugged both Amanda and Lee before he left the room, the door wide open.

Dotty got the book she brought out of her bag, thanked Amanda and Lee then followed the boys. Lee just laughed as he heard her call down the hallway, "Hey, boys, wait for me!" He turned to Amanda and said, "I'm going to take a quick shower, change then we can talk to the front desk, maybe they'll have an idea where we can rent a boat."

"That sounds like a great idea to me. I"ll make reservations for dinner," Amanda replied. Lee smiled and headed into the bathroom. Amanda laughed when she heard the water turn on, then Lee happily singing off key. Ten minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, once again, wearing nothing but a towel slung low on his hips. Amanda inhaled sharply at her husband's nearly nude body and averted her eyes quickly. Lee didn't miss how her skin pinkened and she bit her bottom lip.

He took his time sorting through the clothes in his suitcase, deciding what to wear. Amanda tried to look everywhere in the room but at him. Lee puckered his lips and blew her a kiss across the room when their eyes met. Amanda bit her lip once more then said, "If you keep that up, we won't be leaving this room anytime soon, Sweetheart. And if we don't at least try to rent a boat, well, I don't want to disappoint the boys because we didn't try. I was able to make reservations for dinner at five thirty."

"I know, I just couldn't help teasing you," Lee admitted. "Let me get dressed and then we can see what we can do. I don't want to disappoint the boys either. I want everything this weekend to be perfect."

"It's perfect just because we're here together," Amanda stated. "Tell you what, I'm going to head down to the lobby. I'll meet you there. I'll check in with the desk and see if they have any ideas about that boat." She crossed the room and tried to give Lee a light kiss but he pulled her close and deepened it quickly. Amanda sighed happily but pushed him away gently. "Get dressed, I'll meet you downstairs," she commanded softly. She turned away, picked up her purse and left the room, leaving Lee standing there alone shaking his head.

In the lobby, Lee found Amanda sitting in an armchair with several pamphlets in her hand. "Did you find anything?" he asked.

"There are a few marinas on the north side of the bay that may have a few rentals left, according to the clerk at the desk. She recommended this one," Amanda said as she stood up and handed Lee one particular colorful pamphlet. "She said her dad works there. She even called up and he told her they had a few right now but they are going fast."

"Well, let's head over there right now. Strike while the iron is hot. The boys seemed pretty excited about the idea. There's nothing like watching fireworks from the water. I remember Barney took me once when I was a kid. I never forgot that," Lee explained as he placed his hand on her lower back and guided her to the front doors of the hotel.

They followed the direction the hotel clerk gave them to a small marina on the north side of Virginia Beach. They were able to secure a small 18 foot Duffy electric boat for a four hour rental for the evening. After Lee paid the security deposit they made arrangements to return at seven. On the drive back to the hotel Amanda worried, "Lee, wasn't that a lot of money for just four hours? I mean, we can do something else with the boys. We can… watch the fireworks from the beach, that would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"Amanda, the money isn't a problem, please. I've spent more than that on a night on the town with," Lee saw her eyebrow raise immediately and didn't want to go into detail about past relationships while they were on vacation. "Never mind, look, it's not that much money. I want the boys to have a good time. It's not a speedboat or a sailboat but it will make do," Lee stammered.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure the boys are going to love it but I still think it's a lot of money, especially with our wedding and honeymoon coming up, not to mention the house," Amanda shook her head.

Lee took her hand in his and brushed his lips across her fingers as he said, "It's going to be fine. Don't forget, my uncle gave us that check, too. We have plenty of money for our house, our honeymoon and for this weekend with the boys. Now, will you relax, please?"

Amanda glanced over at Lee and squeezed his hand as she asked, "Do you want to tell the boys or do you want me to do it?"


	16. Chapter 16

"Lee, this is the best view ever!" Philip exclaimed as the colorful fireworks exploded high overhead. He moved from one spot on the boat to another to get another angle on the light show.

Dotty put her hand on Jamie's shoulder as he tried to photograph the display above, "Just be careful, dear, you don't want to stare into that lens for too long. Enjoy the show, be a part of it, don't just try to document it."

"I will, Grandma. Lee told me how to keep the lens open for longer exposure and I wanted to try that," Jamie explained as Lee smiled. He was silently thanking the instructor of the recent refresher course he'd taken on photographic surveillance. Amanda slipped her arm around Lee's waist and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"Tonight's the last night of the festival, so the firework display should be longer than normal," Lee stated. Back at the hotel, he'd talked to one of the vendors who gave him advice on where to stop to watch the fireworks from the water. He was an older gentleman that lived locally and had spent many hours on the water fishing. They were anchored close to the fishing pier about five hundred yards from shore. The small electric boat was more than large enough for all of them to fit comfortably and Lee even picked up popcorn and drinks to snack on while they watched.

"Lee, this has been a great weekend away for all of us. I don't know how to thank you," Dotty stated between the pops, booms, and whirls of the light show.

Lee chuckled and thought for a moment before he replied, "You can thank me by taking a walk along the beach with me tomorrow. I know there is a little souvenir shop just north of here you would love." Dotty was speechless with his offer as she clasped her hands together and smiled.

Amanda hugged him to her side a little tighter when she saw her mother's reaction in the scattered lights. She leaned close to Lee's ear and whispered, "You know just the right way to make everyone happy in this family." Lee didn't reply, he simply kissed her cheek and lifted his chin to watch the grand finale above.

Once the fireworks were over, they carefully steered the electric boat back to the marina. Jamie was nodding off as they pulled into the docks and only woke when Philip poked him in the ribs, earning a stern look from Lee. He muttered his apology to his brother once they were in the car, driving back to the hotel. Traffic was much lighter than Lee expected, and they were back in their hotel rooms thirty minutes after leaving the marina.

"Ok fellas, we have to check out tomorrow no later than eleven, but Lee and I are going to meet with Mrs. White at nine so remember, I'm gonna need your help. While Lee and I are in our meeting, you need to pack the car with your grandmother," Amanda reminded the boys when they entered the hotel room.

"If we get up early enough, can we have breakfast downstairs again?" Jamie asked, half-asleep. He pulled a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of his bag and tossed his sleepwear onto the bed.

Philip yawned loudly as he said, "Don't worry, Mom, Jamie and I got this. And breakfast does good, but right now that pillow is calling my name. I don't remember the last time I was this tired."

"Well, we should all get some rest. It's late and if you want to go to breakfast tomorrow we'll have to be up early. Tell you what, if you boys want to hang out on the beach for a while before we leave I think we can arrange that," Lee suggested. He looked over at Dotty as if he was looking for her approval of his idea.

Dotty was sitting on the edge of the boys' bed listening intently to the conversation. She stood up and gave Lee a hug as she said, "Don't forget, you and me tomorrow. It's my turn."

Lee nodded and said, "Don't worry, Dotty, I would never forget about you. So that's the plan, then? Dotty and I together, Amanda, you and the boys on the beach for a while before we take off and head home."

"I like how that sounds," Amanda stated with a smile.

"Me, too. And I can't wait for us to be in our new house together," Jamie interjected. He gave Amanda a hug, then Lee as he said, "Good night, Mom. Good night, Lee."

"Good night, Jamie, Philip, Dotty. See you in the morning," Lee smiled as he and Amanda left the room, closing the door behind them. Lee turned to Amanda and said, "I would call today a success. But it is late, and we should get some rest."

Amanda looked at Lee as she asked quietly, "What are we going to tell Mrs. White? She knows we're already married, how are we going to explain this to her?"

"Don't worry about Mrs. White. I have an idea that should take care of things. We did explain we had hesitations about her posting the picture because of my job so we'll go with that," Lee stated as he pulled Amanda into his arms. "Now, go take a shower so we can get some sleep. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Must be that salt air…" he trailed off.

"Or maybe you're still tired from the week you had," Amanda suggested. She took a nightgown into the bathroom with her and emerged a short time later. Lee was already in bed, waiting for her. She slipped into the bed and snuggled up beside him. "Sweetheart?"

"Hmmm-mmm," Lee replied sleepily.

"Thank you," she whispered as she rested her head into the hollow of his shoulder.

Lee opened his eyes confused, and asked, "For what?" He lifted his head high enough to look at her.

Amanda pushed up on her elbow to look at him as she said, "For giving us a great first family vacation. For spending time with all of us one on one and for taking your first steps toward being a great step-dad."

Lee smiled as he nestled his head back into the pillows and said, "That's only because I've had a great teacher. Someone who's taught me to be patient, understanding… loving."

"Aw, Sweetheart, that's an awfully nice thing to say," Amanda replied as she squeezed him tightly.

Lee tried hard not to laugh when he replied, "I'll be sure to tell Emily you approve."

"Oh, you!" Amanda groaned before she laughed. "Emily is still coming to the wedding, isn't she?" she asked, her tone suddenly sounding serious.

Lee nodded, his chin brushing against the top of her head as he replied, "As far as I know. She hasn't told me anything different. What about Aunt Lillian? Is she still planning on coming with Aunt Edna or are they fighting again?"

"No, Aunt Lillian is coming, but refuses to stay in the same room as Aunt Edna because apparently, Aunt Edna is using some sort of cream at night that Aunt Lillian swears makes her break out in hives every time she smells it," Amanda explained. She began absentmindedly rubbing Lee's chest in circles with her fingers as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

"Amanda," Lee said her name, his tone a little harsher than he intended.

"Yes, Sweetheart?" she asked sweetly, unaware her ministrations were distracting him.

"Can you please stop doing that or else we won't be getting any sleep any time soon," Lee warned her with a raised eyebrow.

"I love you, Mr. Stetson," Amanda replied as she stilled her hand.

Lee covered her hand with his and whispered, "And I love you, Mrs. Stetson."

Amanda woke up less than an hour later with Jamie standing beside their bed, gently shaking her. "What's wrong, Jamie?" she asked.

"I can't sleep. I mean, I'm tired and I want to sleep but I can't sleep," he whispered loudly.

Amanda rolled over and sat up to look at her son. She ran her fingers through her hair, lightly scratched the back of her head before she said, "What's going on? Is something bothering you?" She patted the edge of the bed and motioned for Jamie to sit down.

Jamie looked over at Lee's sleeping form and whispered, "I think Lee's mad at me." He looked down at the floor, unable to make eye contact in the dim lit room.

Amanda reached over and lifted his chin with her finger and asked, "What makes you think that? I thought you both had a great time tonight?" She felt the bed shift slightly as Lee repositioned himself.

"I did, I mean I think we did, but I think he might still be mad at me for knocking him in the water earlier today," Jamie admitted quietly. He shrugged his shoulders dejectedly as he stared at his hands.

"Oh, Sweetheart, I don't think so. I mean, he may have been upset initially but I think he's over that now," Amanda tried to explain. "Do you really think he would have rented that boat tonight if he was still mad at you?"

Jamie rubbed his bare foot on the rug and said, "No, I don't know. I just don't want Lee to be mad at me."

Lee pushed himself up onto his elbow and stated, "Jamie, I'm not mad. I thought maybe you were mad because I yelled."

"You thought I was mad at you?" Jamie asked incredulously.

Lee nodded and said, "Well, yeah. I was always mad at my uncle when he yelled at me and when I yelled at you, I thought you'd be mad at me."

"Oh," Jamie replied quietly.

Amanda looked from Lee to Jamie then back again to Lee. "I think we all learned something very important today. We need to talk about things, get things out in the open. If we can't talk about things we're never going to be able to be a real family," she stated. "Now, Jamie, is there anything you'd like to say to Lee?"

"I'm sorry I knocked you into the water today," Jamie said with a sigh.

"And I'm sorry I yelled at you, chief," Lee replied.

"Now, do you feel better?" Amanda asked her son. Jamie nodded, then leaned forward to give her a hug. "Now, let's try to get some sleep. Alright? Go on."

Jamie left the room slowly and closed the door quietly behind him. Lee pulled Amanda close and whispered, "How do you make it all look so easy?"

"It's not easy but if we talk about what's bothering us, instead of keeping it inside, it makes it easier," Amanda said as she snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Jamie woke up as the first rays of sunlight were shining throughout the room. He took a deep breath and yawned loudly, stretched his arms above his head then glanced over at his brother who was still sleeping beside him. Jamie looked over at Dotty's bed, and she was still sleeping soundly, her sleeping mask pushed halfway off her eyes. He rubbed his face then headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.

A few minutes later he returned to the room but no one had budged. He knocked lightly on the door separating the two rooms, and although he didn't hear an answer, he pushed the door open slowly. He leaned in far enough to see Amanda's back curled up on her side facing Lee. He couldn't see Lee but he could hear them talking quietly.

"Good morning, Mrs. Stetson. It's time to wake up if we're going to have time for breakfast with the boys," Lee whispered as he gently stroked Amanda's cheek. She sighed happily as she opened her eyes.

Amanda reached up and touched his cheek before she replied, "Good morning to you too, Mr. Stetson. Did you sleep well?"

Lee leaned forward to kiss her when out of the corner of his eye he saw the door open. Instinct immediately took over and he sat up quick and yelled, "Hey!" startling Jamie, who's automatic reply was a very frightened, "I'm sorry!" Jamie darted back into the room, slamming the door behind him.

Lee looked at a confused Amanda, then quickly got out of bed and crossed the room. He opened the connecting door and asked, "Jamie, is everything ok?" He found Jamie sitting on the bed, his head down on his bent knees. When he didn't get a reply, Lee put his hand on Jamie's shoulder and asked again, "You okay, Chief?"

Jamie looked up, scared, as he answered Lee, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you and Mom. I was just trying to see if you guys were awake."

Lee narrowed his eyes and tried to figure out what Jamie was talking about. "You didn't interrupt anything. I was just trying to wake your mother up, that's all," Lee stated quietly.

"But you and Mom…" he inhaled sharply, "I interrupted… I should have knocked louder... " he exhaled loudly, "or waited longer or…." Jamie stuttered then trailed off as he took a deep breath and dropped his head back onto his knees.

Lee looked over at Dotty and Philip, who were both still asleep, then lifted Jamie's chin with one finger. He indicated he wanted Jamie to follow him back to the other room with a nod of his head. Jamie reluctantly followed him and once in the adjoining room, he studied the pattern on the rug when Lee sat on the bed facing him. Amanda was sitting on the bed watching, unsure what was going on. "Jamie, listen, you didn't interrupt anything," Lee explained and reached out to touch Jamie's elbow to get his attention.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to interrupt. I know you told us we have to knock and wait when the door is closed, but I did knock. I didn't hear you so I thought maybe you were still sleeping and I just thought I would try to come in to see if you were awake and-" Jamie rambled but Amanda cut him off.

"Jamie, just slow down. It's okay," Amanda assured him as she climbed off the bed and crossed the room to sit beside Lee. Lee looked at her, trying to figure out why Jamie was so upset. Amanda, as if she could read his mind, shrugged her shoulders and shook her head lightly. "What's going on, Jamie? Are you still upset about yesterday?" she asked.

"No… Lee, why did you call Mom, Mrs. Stetson?" Jamie asked pointedly. He was staring at Lee, blinking, waiting for an answer.

Lee looked nervously at Amanda when it dawned on him. "Jamie, I was… just practicing… you know for when your mom and I get married next weekend," he stuttered.

"That's all it was, Sweetheart, Lee was just practicing. After all, once we get married, I will be Mrs. Stetson," Amanda jumped in to help Lee.

"You're changing your name?" Jamie asked, stunned.

"Why wouldn't I?" Amanda asked. "When I married your daddy, I changed my name from West to King. Why wouldn't I take Lee's name to honor him?"

Jamie shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "I don't know… I just thought you'd keep it because of us," he muttered quietly.

Amanda stood and put her arms around Jamie as she said, "Jamie, I love you and your brother more than anything, but I'm marrying Lee because I love him too. It's a different kind of love, but its still love. And one way I can show him I love him is to take his name when we get married." She looked at Lee then back at Jamie and asked, "Do you understand, Jamie?"

"Yeah, yeah I understand," he muttered. With a sideways glance, he looked at Lee and said, "I'm sorry, Lee. I just… I don't know…" Jamie shrugged his shoulders as he rubbed his barefoot on the floor.

"Jamie, I love your mom and I wouldn't do anything to hurt her or you and your brother. I hope you know that" Lee tried to explain. "I've never been a part of a family like I am now. And I know I'm going to make some mistakes, so maybe when I do, you can help me out?"

Jamie looked up at Lee, his hazel eyes blinking rapidly. "I know you love Mom. I can see it everytime you two are together. She never looked at my dad the way she looks at you," he said honestly. "I'm not used to someone else being around like you are. I'm happy Mom's happy so I guess..." Jamie paused before he finished, "Next time I'll knock and wait for you to respond before I open the door."

Lee reached out and touched his shoulder as he said, "It's okay, Chief, really. Now let's get your brother and your grandmother awake so we can get some breakfast." Lee smiled at Jamie and exhaled when Jamie smiled back. Jamie gave Amanda a quick hug before he darted into the other room. They heard a thump and Philip groan from the other room before Jamie shouted, "Time for breakfast!"

Lee slipped his arm around Amanda's waist and kissed her cheek as he whispered, "We're going to have to do a better job of locking doors I think. I didn't even hear him knock this morning. If he 'd been a few minutes later, he may have gotten another kind of lesson." Lee winked at Amanda and grinned when she blushed.

"We should go get everyone moving," she replied. Amanda ran her hand down his chest before she followed Jamie into the other room. "Good morning, Mother, did you sleep well?" she said loudly.

Dotty was standing and stretching when Amanda greeted her. "I slept wonderfully. It must be all that fresh air from yesterday," Dotty exclaimed with a smile.

"I'm starving," Philip announced as he stood and headed for the bathroom.

Lee laughed. "Is there ever a time you're not hungry?" he teased. Without waiting for an answer, he stated, "The longer it takes you to get ready, the longer it will be before breakfast."

Jamie gave Lee a smile as he pulled clothes out of his overnight bag. Philip exited the bathroom and copied his brother, quickly finding clean clothes. He started pulling his pajama shirt off when Amanda said, "Remember to put everything back in your bags. It will help after breakfast to get the car packed. Lee and I are going to get ready, too."

Together they returned to the adjoining room and dressed quickly, Amanda in a pink blouse and tan colored long shorts and sneakers. Lee pulled on a light blue polo shirt and white shorts with a pair of brown leather loafers. Amanda sized him up and stated, "You should wear that more often."

Lee pulled her close and kissed the tip of her nose as he teased, "I think if I did, from the look on your face, we wouldn't leave the house."

Amanda blushed and concentrated on packing her suitcase. She zipped it up and dropped it onto the other bed then turned to help Lee with his. Within ten minutes they had everything packed and zipped. Amanda even went as far as to strip both beds and bundle the linens together for housekeeping. She took their bags into the other room and surveyed the progress. Philip was jamming his pajamas into his bag while Jamie was neatly tucking everything back in. Dotty just finished her shower and exited the bathroom to drop her toiletries bag into her open suitcase.

"Well, it looks like we are in good shape. So after breakfast, Lee and I will meet with Mrs. White and Philip," Amanda looked at her son to address him, "you, Jamie and your grandmother will pack the car. Then we can head down to the beach and Lee and Grandma are going for a walk. We'll use the showers down by the pool to clean off before we head home. How does that sound?"

Philip nodded and asked, "What's for lunch?"

Lee stepped into the room laughing as he said, "Let's tackle breakfast first, Ace. You guys ready to go?" He held the door for everyone but stopped Dotty before she stepped into the hallway. "Did you remember your key this time?" he teased.

Dotty patted his cheek and dangled the room key from her fingertips. "I wouldn't forget a second time," she replied. Lee offered his arm to Dotty to escort her down the hall, where Amanda was already waiting at the elevator with the boys.


	18. Chapter 18

"That was so good!" Philip declared as he pushed the plate away from him. He just finished eating four stuffed waffles, filled with strawberries, whipped cream, Nutella and bananas, much to everyone's amazement. Even Lee shook his head as he watched him finish everything on the plate.

"Philip, I hope you didn't overeat. Remember last weekend?" Amanda reminded him with a raised eyebrow. Lee shuttered at the memory of Philip getting sick after his cake eating episode at Joe's wedding.

Philip laughed as he shook his head. "No way! I could probably eat one more, but I figured I would save some room in case we get a snack before lunch," he stated matter-of-factly.

Jamie elbowed his brother and said, "Don't tell me you ate too much and we can't go to the beach." He was looking forward to wave jumping and body surfing and the thought their beach time might be ruined because of Philip's stomach began to frustrate him.

Philip stood up and shoved his chair in as he announced, "I'm fine. Now I'm going to run back to the room and put my swimsuit, on if that's okay."

"Philip King, you will not take that tone with me!" Amanda hissed as she looked around, tried to keep her voice low and not cause a scene.

"It's not a big deal! I don't know why everyone keeps ragging on me!" he whined loudly as he shoved his chair one more time.

Lee stood slowly, his jaw clenched as the muscle twitched wildly in his cheek. "Philip, I believe you owe your mother an apology," he stated firmly as he leaned on the table to get close enough to Philip without raising his voice also.

Philip cringed when he saw the look on Lee's face and knew he was in trouble. He dropped his chin and sheepishly looked up at Amanda and said, "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean that the way it sounded." He didn't dare look at Lee. Something in Lee's tone was scarier than Amanda's. "Can I go up to the room and change now? Please?" he asked softly.

"Go on. Jamie, you should go with him. Lee and I are going to head to Mrs. White's office now. Our meeting starts in a few minutes," Amanda declared. "Remember, keep a change of clothes out for the ride home. Mother, you're in charge of packing the car."

"Alright troops, let's get this show on the road," Dotty teased as the boys marched toward the elevator jokingly.

Amanda linked her arm in Lee's after he dropped a few bills on the table to cover their check. Together they walked through the lobby to Mrs. White's office where she was already waiting for them. She smiled when they walked through the door and immediately offered, "Coffee?"

"No, thank you. We just finished breakfast with the boys and my mother," Amanda replied sweetly. Lee closed the door behind him and escorted Amanda to the chairs across from Mrs. White's desk.

"Well, I have to say, I was completely taken by surprise over your mother's offer yesterday," Mrs. White admitted. "I have a feeling there is a full story behind this that I must know."

Lee pressed his lips together, nodded his head then licked them nervously. He looked at Amanda with raised eyebrows, waiting for her to respond. When she raised her eyebrows back at him, he cleared his throat and said, "Mrs. White, the last time we were here I explained we needed to be careful displaying any pictures because of our jobs."

Mrs. White nodded, smiled and replied, "I do, which is why this intrigues me even more."

Amanda looked at Lee then said, "Mrs. White, we are federal agents and the work we do is mostly confidential. So much so, my family doesn't know the whole of it." She stopped to take a deep breath then continued, "And to be honest, as you can guess, my family doesn't know we are already married. It wasn't until we were here a few weeks ago that we decided we didn't want the secrets anymore."

"We told them the pictures you took were my proposal to Amanda," Lee added. "And in a way, it was. So if you decide you do want to do this next weekend, you can't tell anyone you know the truth."

Mrs. White sat back in her chair and took a long swallow of her coffee as she studied them. Amanda's eyes were wide, as she nervously glanced over at Lee. Lee sat on the edge of the chair, while his left knee bounced anxiously, but all the while, they held hands, her right under his left, his thumb caressing hers. Mrs. White nodded, sipped her coffee again then stated, "It would be my pleasure to photograph your wedding. I've met a lot of people in this job, taken thousands of photographs, but there's something about you two. I think what I witnessed on the break wall is just the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to dig deeper and discover more."

"But, you do understand, you won't be able to keep the proofs. There will be people at our wedding, that if their photograph got out, it could be a risk to national security. And I'll have to do a full background check on you this week before we confirm," Lee explained. He didn't want to scare her, but he needed her to understand it wasn't going to be as simple as she thought.

"Mr. Stetson, I have absolutely nothing to hide. I understand a background check is necessary. There are no skeletons in my past. I live a simple life, here on the beach. My husband and I were both born here and grew up here. I can give you any information you'd like. It's pretty boring I can assure you," she answered with a smile.

Amanda smiled as she finally relaxed and said, "Mrs. White, I was a housewife from Arlington, Virginia with two boys and a mortgage. It doesn't get any more boring than that. But yet, here I am, a few years later and a federal agent. It only took a chance meeting for my life to change."

"So, you're still willing to photograph our wedding, should your check come back clean?" Lee asked tentatively.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, it would be my honor," Mrs. White stood and shook their hands. "Just tell me what you need from me and I'll be sure to get it to you. But you must excuse me, I have another client coming in, in just a few minutes." She escorted them to the door and said, "I'll look forward to hearing from you, Mr. Stetson."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. White," Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. She was afraid they would have to get into more detail than they wanted.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. White. I'll give you a call first thing tomorrow," Lee stated as he guided Amanda into the hall.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, I just want you to know, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul," Mrs. White smiled warmly.

Amanda glanced at Lee and nodded once more, "Thank you. We'll talk to you soon." As they walked back toward the lobby, Amanda whispered to Lee, "Do you think we can trust her?"

Lee nodded as he replied, "You know what, I think we can. I'll start that background check first thing tomorrow morning. I hope Billy doesn't have any more surprises up his sleeves."

They found Dotty and the boys walking back into the lobby, Philip was carrying a small gym bag. "Good thing I pack extra bags in case we need them, right Amanda?" Dotty stated. "The boys each have a change of clothes for the ride home and I already asked at the front desk and they said you can use the pool and facilities as long as we'd like."

Lee stepped away from Amanda and offered his elbow to Dotty as he said, "Well then, Dotty, I guess it's just you and me."

Linking her arm in his, Dotty smiled up at him and stated, "Lead the way!"

"Have a good time, Mother. We'll see you later," Amanda said as she leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek.


	19. Chapter 19

Lee escorted Dotty through the lobby outside. The sun was bright and warm despite the time of year. "We've been lucky with the weather this weekend. I feel like it's a sign of good things to come," Dotty commented as she squinted in the sun. She stopped, rummaged through her bag and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.

"I wish I remembered mine," Lee commented. He looked around and spotted a pushcart vendor with a small selection of sunglasses. He chose one pair, tried them on and laughed when Dotty shook her head in disagreement.

Dotty selected another pair and handed them to Lee as she said, "Try these. Much better. They remind me of that movie… you know the one about the assassin that comes back from the future to kill that woman?"

"Terminator?" Lee laughed. He paid for the glasses and as they walked away he commented, "I hope I look better than Arnold Schwarzenegger."

"Well, you definitely don't have all the muscles he has but I think that's too much, myself," Dotty said thoughtfully. Lee just shook his head and laughed at her honesty. "Besides that, I think my daughter likes you just the way you are."

"Thank you, Dotty, I think," Lee replied. "The beach looks so empty today," he said, looking out over the expanse of sand to their right as they walked along the boardwalk.

Dotty hugged his arm as a family with three young children passed close to them on the narrow walkway. "But some people still forget their manners," she commented. "But not you. You've been a perfect gentleman. Thoughtful, kind, firm with the boys when they've needed it. Your uncle must be very proud of you."

Lee looked down at their feet as they walked, before he replied, "I don't really know. My uncle doesn't say much and until recently, most of the time when we were together we were butting heads."

"It must have been tough for him too, raising his nephew with no woman in his life. Well, I assume there was no woman in his life," Dotty corrected herself.

"No, you're right. My uncle didn't date much that I know of, he was a career military man. He loved his job first, everything else was a distant second, me included," Lee confirmed with a sharp nod of his head.

"But yet, you turned out to be such a gentleman, so he must've had some influence somewhere along the line," Dotty probed. She wanted to get to know Lee better and she figured this was the only way.

"Well, I've had a few lady friends…." Lee began and chuckled when Dotty inserted "Uh huh" casually. "But, I had Emily when I first started working for IFF. You've met her. She's the foreign…. correspondent I met in England. She took me under her wing. She taught me a lot about who I was and who I could be. She showed me I possessed a lot of qualities I didn't even know I had."

"Emily… Emily Farnsworth? She's such a lovely woman. Will she be at the wedding?" Dotty asked as they continued to walk.

Lee nodded happily, "Yes, Emily will be there. I wouldn't have it any other way." They walked for another minute before Lee spoke again. "Then a few years ago, I met Amanda. She taught me things… well, you know Amanda. She has such an insight to people, natural instincts."

Dotty smiled. She could hear the love in Lee's voice as he was describing Amanda. "I didn't realize when I first met Amanda how special she really was. That is until I met you, Dotty."

Dotty stopped walking and looked up at Lee. She was taken by surprise with his comment. "Lee…" she began but didn't know what to say.

Lee stopped and leaned on the railing beside them. "Dotty, you've welcomed me from the first day I've met you. You've made me feel like a part of this family in so many little ways. Take the other night for example, when Amanda and I got home in the wee hours of the morning. You made sure I took two aspirin, drank a full glass of water and checked to make sure I didn't have a temperature," he explained as he held her hands in his. "You understood when we explained about our jobs and why we didn't tell you everything up front."

"Lee, you don't have to-" Dotty tried to interrupt, but Lee stopped her.

"Dotty, I do. I've never been great with words when it comes to relationships. Actually, before Amanda, I never had a relationship quite like this. Thank you for raising a wonderful, loving, caring daughter that opened my eyes to so many things. Thank you for helping her raise two amazing boys. And, I need to say thank you for being the kind of mother I never had."

Dotty raised her hand to her mouth in surprise. Her eyes filled with tears and she was thankful she was wearing sunglasses, so Lee couldn't see them.

"Dotty, I know there are usually traditions at weddings and with Mr. West gone, Amanda won't have a father-daughter dance, but I'd like to continue the mother-son dance, with you, if you'd agree," Lee watched her face. She was holding her hands to her mouth still and he could see her blinking rapidly behind the darkened glasses. "I'm not much into popular music, but I heard one song recently that reminded me of you. Have you heard of James Taylor?" Lee asked. Dotty nodded rapidly, still unable to speak. "Well, I think the song was called 'How Sweet It Is' and when I heard it I couldn't help think how sweet my life has been since you've welcomed me into your family. So, will you dance with me?" Lee asked again.

Dotty tossed her arms around his neck as she cried, "Oh, Lee! I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do!" She held him close for a long minute before she stepped back and threw her hands in the air declaring, "I can't wait to tell Amanda!"

Lee laughed loudly then offered his arm to Dotty again to continue their walk. "That souvenir shop is just up here," he pointed to a storefront not far from where they were.

"Oh, Lee! I don't care about any souvenirs, now! You've given me such a wonderful gift. How could I possibly top that!" Dotty exclaimed.

"Well, let's not disappoint the boys and Amanda," he stated as he steered her into the store.

Back on the beach, Amanda was watching the boys laughing as they played in the waves. The sun was warm on her back, but it felt so nice and relaxing. She was thinking about the weekend and how they'd really connected as a family. Her reverie was broken when she heard Jamie yelling, "Philip! Hey, Philip!" She watched as Jamie threw seaweed in Philip's direction then quickly paddled away, his brother in chase.

"Jamie! I'm gonna get you for that!" Philip called out loudly. He tried running after Jamie but slipped on a rock and fell under the water. He came up sputtering, the saltwater burning his nose.

"Come here, boys," Amanda called to her sons. "You two need a break for a minute and Philip, you look like you need a towel." She watched as they trudged out of the surf happily and dropped into the sand beside her.

"Thanks, Mom!" Jamie stated as he slipped his glasses on and shook the water from his hair.

"Yeah, thanks, Mom," Philip copied his brother as he used the offered towel to wipe his face and chest. "This is the best. I wish we lived closer and could come here every weekend."

"Well, maybe we can make this an annual thing. Come down every year for the festival. Think of this year as our first family tradition," she smiled at the idea.

"Kind of like Tuesday night dinners," Jamie offered. He leaned forward on his knees and looked out over the water. "Mom?" he called her name softly.

"What's up, Sweetheart?" Amanda asked as she touched his cool skin.

Jamie looked at Philip then asked, "Philip and I were talking out in the water. We'd like to do something for Lee, you know, to thank him for bringing us here. I mean I know it was both of you, but he's done stuff with all of us and we want to do something nice for him."

Amanda shook his wet hair with her hand and replied, "That's awfully nice of you boys, but you don't have to. I know you don't remember the vacations your Dad and I used to bring you on, but that's what you do as a family. Just being together, spending time together, that's what it's all about."

"Well, we still want to do something," Philip agreed with his brother.

Amanda stood and brushed the sand off her pants as she said, "Well, right now we can start by heading back up to the hotel and showering. Your grandmother and Lee should be back any time and we still have a long ride back to Arlington."

"Can we get lunch for the ride home?" Philip asked, his eyebrows high and hopeful.

Amanda put her arm around her sons' shoulders and teased, "Of course. I wouldn't want you to starve on the way home."


	20. Chapter 20

Lee pulled into the driveway on Maplewood Drive just as the sun set, thankful to finally be off the road. "I never thought I'd be this happy to be home," Dotty declared. "Seven hours in traffic is just too much! Too much! Whoever thought we would run into not one, but three construction sites on a Sunday afternoon?" She continued complaining as the boys began to unpack the car, carried the bags inside and then dropped everything on the floor of the kitchen. "Boys! Don't just drop everything there! Oh, Amanda, what are you going to do with them?"

Amanda laughed as she stood at the landing of the stairs and watched the organized chaos around them. The boys were bringing the bags inside and what Dotty didn't realize is Lee was lining the suitcases and bags up outside the laundry room to be emptied and put away. Dotty was standing on the walkway, still complaining when Amanda said, "Mother, how about you and I run down and pick up some pizza for everyone for dinner while the boys finish unpacking? We can take Lee's car."

Dotty looked at Amanda strangely, before she threw her hands up in the air and said, "Why not?"

Amanda followed Lee into the kitchen and grabbed his car keys off the hook near the back door. "Mother and I are going to get pizza. Think you can handle the rest of this?" she asked.

Lee slipped his hand around Amanda's waist, kissed her briefly on the lips then replied, "Only if you promise to get pepperoni."

Amanda laughed and replied, "Better make it two, the boys have been devouring it lately. I'll grab a cheese one too. Anything else?"

Lee looked around the corner where the boys were now tossing dirty clothes at each other and said, "Yeah, hurry. The natives are getting restless." He stepped into the room and snatched a shirt out of the air as he said, "Hey, what's going on?"

Philip pointed at Jamie and shouted, "He started it! He threw a pair of dirty socks on my head!"

Jamie shook his head rapidly as he replied, "No, you threw your swimming trunks at me first."

Lee looked helplessly at Amanda as she closed the door with a wave and a "We'll be back soon!"

Lee looked from one boy to the other and said, "Okay, we can do this. Let's clean up this mess and bring all the clothes in the other room. Now, which one of you knows how to sort the clothes?" Both boys just looked at the floor, not eager to make eye contact with Lee. "Okay, who knows how to turn on the washer?" he asked and again was greeted with silence. Lee took a deep breath and announced, "Listen, I'm not leaving this for your mother and grandmother to do so, let's all take these into the laundry room and I'll give you a lesson on how to do laundry."

Jamie started picking up the garments scattered around when he stopped and looked at Lee, "Wait, you know how to do laundry?"

Lee was bent over, picking up a pair of shorts when he straightened and shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Of course I know how to do the wash. After all, I'm a grown man, I've lived on my own for a long time. My uncle taught me when I was about ten. He was away a lot and no one else was going to do it for me."

Philip carried a few items into the laundry room, Lee and Jamie not far behind. Lee carefully explained how to sort the clothes by lights and darks, although he did admit sometimes he just tossed everything in together when it came to things like his smelly gym clothes earning an "I hear that" from Philip. He had Jamie measure out the detergent and Philip set the machine.

He decided the boys were capable enough to go through the remaining bags and sort the rest of the laundry although the second Philip pulled out one of Dotty's bras, he asked to be excused. Lee laughed loudly and said they could skip both Amanda and Dotty's bags but his bag would be fine. "Lee, I'll be back in a minute… I need to go to the bathroom," Jamie said quietly as he ran through the kitchen and upstairs.

Philip unzipped Lee's bag and was taking things out when Lee heard him clear his throat nervously. He looked over and saw Philip had uncovered the box of condoms he'd tossed into his suitcase. Philip was red-faced, unsure what to say, so Lee casually walked over, pulled out the remaining clothing items and said, "It's always good to be prepared. You know, better safe than sorry."

Philip, unable to find his voice squeaked out, "Uh huh."

Lee put his hand on Philip's shoulder and said, "Philip, it's okay. Your mom has already explained things to you and well, yes, things… happen… between her and I, but that's why we're smart about it."

Jamie was jogging back down the stairs and only heard the last part of Lee's comment. "Smart about what?" he asked. He looked at Philip's red face and Lee's quick reflexes as he closed the suitcase and picked it up. "Okay, did I miss something?" he asked without waiting for a response to his first question.

"No, nothing. I was just helping Lee empty his suitcase and he was just saying it was smart to put them away right away," Philip rushed out as he stood up. "Um, Lee, can I go outside and play basketball? After I put my bag in my room?" he asked, glad the conversation was over.

"Sure thing. Just watch out for your mom and your grandmother. They should be back soon," Lee nodded then added, "Jamie, if you want to go out there with him, I'll bring the bags up to your room for you."

Jamie smiled and took two steps to the back door, throwing it open. "Thanks, Lee!" he exclaimed.

Philip was only a few steps behind when he stopped, turned back and said, "Yeah, yeah thanks, Lee. I won't say anything to Junior… or Mom…. if you don't want me to."

Lee grinned back and replied, "This can be our secret. I won't tell if you won't."

Philip nodded and closed the door yelling, "Jamie, let's play horse."

Lee picked up the bags and carried everything upstairs. He deposited the boys' bags on their bed, Dotty's bag on her bed and both his and Amanda's on her bed. He spent a few minutes taking out his shaving kit and the box of condoms which he slipped into the bedside table drawer and left his shaving kit in the bathroom. He left Amanda's suitcase open on the bed when he heard her calling him from the kitchen.

Downstairs, the boys were already on their second slice of pizza each before Lee even made it to the bottom of the stairs. They were laughing and joking loudly when he sat down, but the boys quieted down quickly. Lee looked around to everyone and asked, "What?" He looked around again and the boys immediately started laughing loudly once again. "What?"

Amanda laughed loudly and said, "All right boys, pay up." Lee looked at her perplexed as the boys continued to laugh.

Dotty laughed at his confusion then finally admitted, "They bet they could eat the whole pizza before you came down." Lee just shook his head and laughed.


	21. Chapter 21

Amanda stepped out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel and her robe tied snuggly around her waist. Lee was lounging on the bed, sipping a glass of water when she said, "I can't believe the boys are already asleep."

Lee laughed, "Between the weekend they had, the ride home and almost two whole pizzas, I'm surprised they stayed awake this long." He placed the glass on the nightstand and moved over when Amanda sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing her damp hair with the towel. She opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a hairbrush. As she pulled the brush through her hair, Lee yawned loudly.

"Am I keeping you awake too?" Amanda teased. She dropped the brush back in the drawer, the towel in the hamper and removed her robe as Lee relaxed into the pillows. She turned off the light and rolled over to snuggle into Lee's shoulder as she whispered, "Thank you."

"Thank you for what?" Lee uttered softly as he put his arms around her and brushed his lips across her temple.

"For everything this weekend. I know it must've been a lot for you but you handled it wonderfully," Amanda replied. She tipped her chin upward and captured his lips with hers before settling back down again.

"It was great. I got to get to the know the boys a little better and your mom. And just think in a few more weeks we will be married, back from our honeymoon and in our new home together," Lee smiled. "I never thought this would ever happen," he added.

Amanda twisted and sat up to look at him in the dim light. "You never thought what would happen?" she asked, confused.

"This. You, me, a real family. Your boys as my stepsons. I just never pictured myself having kids at all never mind two teenage boys," Lee explained.

Amanda leaned forward and kissed his cheek before she whispered, "And who knows, maybe a little Charlie of our own, too."

Lee hugged her close again and asked, "So you'd want another boy? If you had your choice that is."

Amanda shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know. I haven't thought about it too much. I don't know if I would know what to do with a little girl if I had one."

"And you're sure this is something you still want to do?" Lee asked seriously.

"What do you mean, still want to do? What are you saying, you don't want to-" Amanda began to ask, but Lee cut her off.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I was just thinking when do we get to start practicing making our-" he replied quickly and this time it was Amanda who cut him off with a kiss.

"We will have an entire week of uninterrupted practicing if you're good," she teased. She kissed him back and just as Lee pulled her closer with a slight growl, they heard a knock on the door.

Dotty pushed the door open as she said "Amanda…" she paused when she realized Amanda and Lee were in bed and asked, "Oh, oh, I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Amanda rolled over and pushed herself up into a sitting position as she replied, "No, Mother, we were just getting ready for bed."

"I just wanted to thank you again for a wonderful weekend," Dotty exclaimed with a smile.

"You're welcome, Mother. I'm glad you enjoyed it," Amanda replied.

Dotty brought her hand to her chest as she continued, "And I'm so excited for this whole week, I can barely contain myself. I'm even looking forward to your Aunt Lillian coming. Oh, did I mention Aunt Edna and Aunt Lillian can't-"

"Can't stay in the same room, I know, Mother, you told me already," Amanda laughed as she nodded and interrupted her.

"And Edna Gilstrap finally sent back her reply. Can you believe that? Who sends back their reply just days before? I hope it's not too late to add her to the list," Dotty rambled. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What's that, Mother?" Amanda ran her hands through her hair, shaking out the damp strands one last time.

"Goodnight, darling. Goodnight, Lee," Dotty stated with a smile again as she backed out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Lee rolled his eyes as he mumbled, "Yeah, goodnight, Dotty. It was turning out to be a good night before the interruption."

After the door clicked closed, Amanda turned off the light and settled back down and said, "Sweetheart, don't be upset, like I was trying to say before, we have a whole week of just you and me." She kissed his lips gently and settled her head back down on his chest.

"Mmmm, hmmm," Lee muttered again. "And we will not be interrupted, again."

"Oh, that reminds me. Did you confirm our room for Saturday night at the Cumberland? Is it in the same block of rooms as everyone else's or were they able to do the Presidential Suite?" Amanda asked as she lazily drew circles on his t-shirt.

"No, the Presidential Suite is still under renovations as are most of the floors. Our room is in the same block as everyone else," Lee groaned.

"Well, as long as we don't tell Mother which one is ours…" Amanda's voice trailed off.

"I'm going to have Billy book two for us and then we don't have to tell her which one we're actually in," Lee joked.

Amanda giggled and replied, "You know, that's not a bad idea. I can get dressed in one room so Mother thinks that where we'll be but we sneak off into the other room for the night."

Lee laughed, hugged her tighter and replied, "Amanda, I like the way you're thinking."

Amanda laughed, but it was cut off by the yawn she couldn't hide, "We should get some sleep. We have to be in Billy's office first thing in the morning. Did he say why in his message?"

Lee sighed and replied, "Nothing, just we were both to be in his office at nine before his morning coffee."

Amanda shook her head, "Before his morning coffee, this must be serious."

Lee kissed the side of Amanda's head and replied, "I hope not too serious. Remember, we have to meet with Acquisitions at eleven. If anything goes wrong tomorrow…" Lee let the idea hang in the air.

"Listen, nothing's gonna go wrong. We're gonna meet with Billy, then sign the papers. Piece of cake," Amanda replied lightly.

"Piece of cake, huh. When is anything we do a piece of cake?" Lee teased.

"Get some sleep, Stetson," Amanda commanded gently as she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Good night, Amanda," Lee replied softly. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, the scent of Amanda's shampoo filling his senses.

Amanda woke to the sound of the alarm beeping beside her on the bedside table. She groaned as she reached over to turn it off. "Lee, come on, it's time to get up. We have to get the boys ready for school, too," she reminded Lee as she gently shook him awake.

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this," Lee smiled as he woke up, Amanda's hand on his chest. He pulled her close and kissed her lightly on the cheek before releasing her and rolling to his feet. "I'll jump in the shower if you want to get the coffee started. Then I'll get the boys up."

"I'll meet you downstairs," she replied, pulling her robe on. "Oh, and one more thing," she said as she stepped forward.

"What's that?" Lee asked lightly as he smiled, his dimples deep.

"I love you, Mr. Stetson," Amanda teased and planted a brief kiss on his lips.

"I love you too, Mrs. Stetson," Lee whispered, kissing her back. He jumped back when he heard the knock on the door and said, "Yeah?"

"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Lee," Jamie said happily as he opened the door. "Mom, I started making our lunches for today, but do you think it would be okay if I added an extra snack? I don't know why, but I'm feeling really hungry this morning."

Amanda took two steps and put her arm around Jamie's shoulders as she guided him back into the hall as she said, "It must have been all that fresh air all weekend. I think an extra snack is fine and I'll make some bacon and eggs this morning. How does that sound?" She smiled over her shoulder at Lee who smiled back just before he turned to head into the bathroom to shower.


	22. Chapter 22

"Good Morning, Mrs. Marston," Amanda said cheerfully as they closed the door to the Georgetown entrance.

"Good Morning, Mrs. King, Mr. Stetson. Only a few more days until the big day!" Mrs. Marston replied cheerfully. "Password, please."

Lee snickered before replying, "Wedding Bells. Billy's idea of a joke I'm sure."

Mrs. Marston handed Lee and Amanda their badges and said, "Not his idea. Actually, it was mine."

Amanda laughed loudly as she clipped her badge onto her blouse. "Leave it to you, Mrs. Marston," she smiled as she held Lee's hand and they crossed the room to the elevator. They arrived at Billy's office door at exactly eight fifty-eight. Knocking twice, Lee waiting for Billy's booming voice to allow them entrance. When it didn't come right away, Lee knocked again and waited. After hearing no reply, Lee looked around the bullpen and asked Mary, "Have you seen Billy?"

"Mr. Melrose stepped out about five minutes ago with Dr. Smyth. They were headed in the direction of the conference rooms," Mary replied.

"And Francine?" Lee questioned.

"Following right along behind them. Dr. Smyth was muttering something about losing control, whatever that means," Mary shook her head. Lee was about to ask her another question, but the phone on her desk started ringing.

Lee looked at Amanda nervously and grabbed her hand as they quickly walked toward the conference room. They could hear Billy's voice before they turned the corner. "I will NOT give them an assignment like that. Not this week." Lee took one look at Amanda and closed the gap to the door in seconds. He didn't bother to knock, he just threw the door open and stared at Billy and Dr. Smyth standing toe to toe, Francine steps away looking concerned.

"Am I or am I not, still your superior, William?" Dr. Smyth asked dryly.

"Last I checked your security clearance was the same as mine," Billy folded his arms across his chest and glared at Dr. Smyth.

"Ah, yes, the children have arrived at last," Dr. Smyth noticed Lee and Amanda standing in the doorway.

Lee looked at the two men and asked, "What the hell is going on? I could hear you two all the way down the hall."

Francine pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, in an attempt to get Lee to stop talking, but Dr. Smyth didn't notice her behind him. "I have an assignment for the two of you," he stated.

"And I said NO, I already have assignments for both of you this week," Billy stated firmly.

"But the assignment I have needs a special touch that I'm sure only Scarecrow and Mrs. King can give," Dr. Smyth insisted.

"Sir, may I?" Francine tried to insert herself, but Dr. Smyth immediately answered, "No, Miss Desmond, you may not. I'm not here to play games on the playground. They'll be on a plane in three hours heading to Munich."

"What? Sir, you can't be serious," Amanda exclaimed. She looked nervously at Lee whose jaw was now clenched tightly.

"Billy, come on, you can't do this," Lee shouted.

Billy looked firmly at Dr. Smyth then sympathetically at Lee, "I'm not doing this, and neither is he! I'll call in every favor I have right up to the White House if I have to. Scarecrow and Mrs. King will NOT be leaving DC!"

Dr. Smyth narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips as he stared at Billy until he raised one eyebrow and stepped back. "Fine, if that's how you feel. I'll find someone else, however, it will go down in the report that they refused the assignment. Plain and simple," Dr. Smyth snapped as he stormed to the door.

As he swung the door open, Billy stated loudly, "If I see their names on ANY report, I will file charges of harassment on both Lee and Amanda's behalf. Do I make myself clear?" He leaned both hands on the conference table, leveling his gaze at Dr. Smyth now standing in the doorway. Without another word, Dr. Smyth walked slowly out of the conference room and down the hall.

Lee looked at Billy, whose head was now hanging, his shoulders hunched. "Billy? What was that all about?" he asked.

Billy raised his head, pushed back and stood. He ran his hand down his face before replying, "Dr. Smyth wanted you and Amanda to run to Munich to pick up a defector set to arrive tomorrow afternoon in Karlsfeld."

"Karlsfeld? Are you kidding me? That place has been a hotbed of activity since World War II," Lee said incredulously.

"Karlsfeld? Isn't that the location of the subcamp of the Dachau Concentration Camp?" Amanda asked nervously. "I remember that from Jamie's project he was working on last year."

"It was. It was located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory, but once Dachau was liberated in 1945, it was used as a US military base during the occupation. It was finally closed in 1960," Francine explained.

"And the last place you and Lee will be traveling to this week," Billy smiled. "Besides, I have another assignment for each of you."

"But, Sir isn't Dr. Smyth going to be-" Amanda began to ask, but Billy cut her off with a loud laugh.

"I don't care what Dr. Smyth thinks. This week is all about you and Lee getting ready for your wedding and I will be doing everything in my power to make sure nothing disrupts that," Billy smiled as he handed Amanda a file folder. "Amanda, you will be working with Beamon all week. He's teaching a class in Casual Surveillance and who better to help out with that one than you? The one person who is the least obvious, but has some of the best natural skills we've ever seen."

Amanda opened the folder and read the page in front of her, "Well, thank you, Sir. That's a pretty big compliment coming from you."

"Yeah, thanks, Billy. That keeps Amanda's afternoon's open for all the last-minute running around," Lee thanked him.

"Well, good. I hope you'll like your assignment just as much. Starting tomorrow morning you will be the instructor for Dodge City at Station One this week. You will teach the new recruits every trick you know. And I'll even sweeten the pot for you. If one, just one, recruit comes close to beating your score, I'll give you an extra week's vacation," Billy smiled wider than before.

Lee smirked, folded his arms and leaned back against the window behind him. "So just one? And I get an extra week's vacation? What about Amanda? Any perks for her?" Lee teased.

Billy laughed louder than before and thought for a moment before he replied, "Tell you what, if Amanda can outsmart Beamon's surveillance techniques, I'll give her an extra week too."

Amanda's eyebrows immediately shot up as she asked, "Sir, how am I going to do that?"

"It's easy. Beamon has to set up a simulation in surveillance. If you can beat him at his own game, you win," Francine explained. "It's common practice. Outsmart the teacher."

"Or draw out the fox. I remember that class. Only it wasn't Beamon teaching it at the time. It was Old Man Stevens. Remember him, Billy? He used to wear those plaid sweater vests and smelled like garlic all the time," Lee laughed. "I kinda miss him, you know. He was a pretty good guy."

"Old Man Stevens…I haven't heard him mentioned in a long time. He managed to outsmart you, Scarecrow," Billy couldn't help but continue to smile.

Lee laughed again, shaking his head as he recalled, "Yeah, I almost had him too until he tricked me with that hat in the window."

"You too? He did the same thing to me!" Francine exclaimed. "That must have been his trademark move."

"Yeah, I think it was. Do we know what happened to him after he retired?" Lee asked curiously.

"I think he moved to Florida to pursue bartending in the Keys," Billy informed them.

"Well, he couldn't have picked a nicer place to do it. I heard it's beautiful there all year round," Amanda said. She glanced at her watch and turned to face Lee. "Lee, if we're going to meet with Acquisitions at eleven we need to get the rest of that paperwork upstairs."

Lee checked his own watch and nodded in agreement. "Billy, you don't mind if we…" he trailed off as he gestured to the door.

"No, go. You don't want to be late. Oh, when you're done with that, I'd love to hear how your weekend went," Billy said. He stood, straightened his tie and held the door open as everyone left the conference room.

"Francine, will you have time to go over a few things for the wedding this afternoon? I think I need help with the seating chart," Amanda admitted.

Francine looked down at the files in her arm, but looked up again with a smile and replied, "Sure. Let me just file these reports and we can meet for lunch. Let's say around two?"

Amanda looked at Lee expectantly and when he nodded, she replied, "Two sounds great. We could get a couple of sandwiches from the deli down the street, then work on it in the Q Bureau. Lunch is even on me."

"Throw in a couple of chocolate brownies and you have yourself a deal!" Francine laughed.

"I'll see you at two," Amanda laughed with her. "Ready, Lee?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Lee exhaled. He was nervous about the purchase and sales process and wanted it over as quickly as possible.


	23. Chapter 23

Lee dangled the keys between his finger and his thumb as he smiled. "I can't believe it's done," he said before tossing the keys in the air and catching them. "I thought that paperwork was never going to end."

"Well, at least it's over. And, that check your uncle gave us was a huge help. Our mortgage payment is less than what I pay now for the house in Arlington. Speaking of which, we need to figure out what we're going to do with it," Amanda said.

"Amanda, that's not my decision. That's up to you and Joe to decide what to do with it. Did you talk to him about moving in?" Lee asked as he sat back on the edge of his desk. He couldn't stop fidgeting with the keys in his hand.

"No, I didn't really have time to have a full sit down with Joe. I mean, I mentioned it, but we didn't get into any real detail," Amanda replied. She stepped close to Lee and caught the keys he was still tossing. "Listen, I have an idea. I have two hours before I need to meet with Francine. How about you and I take a ride over to the house."

Lee captured her hand with his and brushed his lips across her fingers as he whispered, "I would love to, Mrs. Stetson." Louder he stated, "Did you remember to pull out our marriage license? I already had a conversation with the Justice of the Peace and he said we don't have to worry about a new one as long as we show him our original."

"Yeah, I put it in a file folder in your desk. It should be right here," Amanda stated as she pulled open the left bottom drawer and pulled out a small stack of files. She selected one of them and handed it to him, "Here, it's right here labeled King, S."

"King, S?" Lee asked as he flipped the folder open to confirm the document inside.

"King, Stetson. I couldn't think of anything else," Amanda giggled.

"Okay, okay, let's put this away before someone sees it," Lee said as he closed the folder again and dropped it back into the drawer. He took Amanda's hand and just before he grabbed the doorknob, Beaman pushed the door open.

"Mrs. King! I was looking for you!" he exclaimed.

Amanda looked at Lee, eyes wide then back at Beaman. "I'm right here. What can I do for you, Ephraim?" she asked nervously.

"Billy informed me you will be working with me all week. I just wanted to stop by and let you know we'll be meeting on Level Four this afternoon. Room one 'O' three," he stated.

"Oh, I thought Mr. Melrose said I wasn't starting with you until tomorrow morning… I… We… well, Francine and I have a… a… meeting this afternoon," Amanda stuttered out.

"Yeah, a meeting at two, wasn't it? To go over your report from the case you were working on last week when I was away, wasn't that it?" Lee tried to help.

Beaman looked from Amanda to Lee suspiciously. "Fine then, I'll expect to see you first thing tomorrow morning. Same room," he stated.

Amanda sighed, relieved. She felt Lee's hand drop to her waist protectively. "Is there anything else you need, Beaman?" Lee asked.

"No, no, I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. King. Sorry to interrupt," Beaman said as he stepped back into the hall.

Lee closed and locked the door behind them and together they descended the steps to the foyer. "Mrs. Marston, Amanda and I need to step out for a bit. If anyone comes looking for us, will you let them know we'll be back around one thirty? Please?" Lee asked sweetly, giving Mrs. Marston the best smile he could.

"I am not your personal secretary, Scarecrow, BUT should anyone ask I'll let them know," she replied sternly. She couldn't hide her smile when Lee reached over and patted her hand in thanks. "That'll get you nowhere with me, Scarecrow."

"Thank you, Mrs. Marston," Amanda laughed as they departed the building. Lee drove to their new house in Barclay Knolls. As he pulled into the driveway, Amanda uttered a low, "Wow."

"Wow what?" he asked as he climbed out of the car. He walked around and opened Amanda's door for her, offering his hand for her to climb out.

"I can't believe it's ours. I feel like this is all a dream and at some point, someone is going to pinch me and wake me up," she admitted.

Lee gently pinched her cheek, laughing as he said, "Well if it's a dream, we're in it together. Now come on, let's check out our new home." He grasped her hand and pulled her to the front door. Lee quickly unlocked the door and before Amanda could say anything, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her over the threshold.

"Lee! What are you doing?" she laughed as just as quickly he set her on her feet and punched in the security code to disarm the alarm. Lee pushed the door closed behind her and pulled her to his chest. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her passionately, leaving them both breathless. "Wow!" Amanda uttered again.

"Still think you're dreaming?" Lee whispered against her lips.

"Maybe. I may need one more kiss, just to be sure," Amanda teased. She was about to speak again, but Lee captured her face in his hands and covered her mouth again with his. He gently stroked her cheekbones with his thumbs as his tongue stroked hers. Amanda hummed happily as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "Ok, I'm not dreaming because my dreams are never this good," she panted when they finally separated.

Lee kissed her lips gently one last time before he let her go. He took a step back and with a deep breath tamped down his rising desire. He unbuttoned his top button on his shirt and exhaled as he said, "We probably shouldn't do that again. Not right now."

Amanda fingered the neckline of his shirt and teased, "What's the matter, Scarecrow? Getting too hot under the collar for you?"

Lee caught her fingers with his hand, brought them to his lips before saying, "You are one bewitching woman, Mrs. Stetson. But before you pull me deeper into your spell, we should talk about our home here. Unless you want to miss your meeting with Francine?"

Amanda bit her bottom lip and laughed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, I was thinking," Lee began as he took her hand and pulled her into the kitchen. "The house looks pretty clean. I think the agency did a thorough job before they released it. So, what I was thinking is, if I can use your car this week, I can start bringing all the boxes over from my apartment and stack them in the garage in the afternoons. Maybe grab the boys to help one day. I don't have too much more to pack and other than the furniture, there isn't much else there."

"That sounds like a great idea, Sweetheart. The garage is plenty big enough to hold everything and when we get back from our honeymoon, if we can get that extra week off from Billy, then we can move the majority of the stuff," Amanda agreed.

"Get a moving company for the big stuff. I guess we just need to decide where everything is going, what we're keeping and what we're storing," Lee continued.

Amanda opened the door to the garage and looked around the wide-open space, then turned and looked back to the kitchen again. She retraced their steps into the main foyer and then quickly moved up the stairs to the second floor. Lee followed, unsure what she was doing. Amanda stopped and took out a small notepad from her purse as well as a pen. She climbed the stairs to their master bedroom and stated, "Let's start here. We can make a list of furniture we want to go where and what we're not sure of, we can discuss it later."

Lee looked around the room and started pointing, "Okay, for starters, where do you want to put the bed? We can put it here, between the windows or over there between the closet doors."

Amanda stood in one spot then moved to the other. She opened the door and walked inside the expansive closet before checking out the other, identically sized closet. She stood between the doors one last time then stated, "I think the couch needs to go here, the bed over there, your desk there and your chest right there. We can put the bedside tables under the windows and then you won't have to worry about the window open on your side of the bed."

"Amanda, did you say the couch?" Lee asked surprised.

Amanda nodded and with a sly smile added, "Where else would we put that couch?"


	24. Chapter 24

"Amanda? Is that you?" Dotty called from the garden.

"Yes, Mother, it's me," Amanda called back as she dropped the bag of groceries she was carrying onto the island counter.

Dotty came in the back door, brushing the dirt off her hands. "I'm glad you're home early. Lee's uncle called earlier looking for him," she announced.

"Really? I know Lee tried to call him but didn't get through. I think he said he left him a message with the operator on base," Amanda replied as she pulled the groceries out of the bag and laid everything out on the counter.

"I invited him to dinner with us tomorrow night," Dotty informed her.

"Mother, you did what? I'm not even sure if Lee's going to be here tomorrow night. He's got a lot of work to do on the new project he got assigned to this week," Amanda said quickly.

Dotty planted her hands on her hips, cocked her head to the side and said, "Amanda, what do you mean you're not even sure if he's going to be here tomorrow night. You do know what tomorrow night is."

Amanda leaned forward on the counter and thought for a few seconds as she stared at her mother. "I don't have a clue, Mother," she said, finally.

"Well, it's Tuesday. And you know what happens on Tuesdays?" Dotty folded her arms across her chest and blinked at Amanda.

Amanda closed her eyes and shook her head. She sighed loudly as she said, "I know it's the night Lee makes dinner with the boys. But, Mother-"

"But nothing, Amanda. Tuesday night is now special, and Tuesday night dinner is now Lee and the boys' night. It doesn't get any simpler than that. Now, do you want to give me another reason why Lee's uncle can't come for dinner?" Dotty interrupted Amanda.

Lee walked into the kitchen behind Dotty and stated, "My uncle's coming for dinner? Since when?"

Dotty spun around at the sound of his voice. "Oh, Lee I'm so glad you're here. I was just explaining to Amanda that your uncle called earlier looking for you and I thought it would be really nice to invite him to dinner tomorrow night. Isn't that wonderful?"

"No, Dotty, it's not wonderful. My uncle isn't that type of guy. His idea of family dinner is a mess hall with five hundred other officers. I'm afraid we'll have to figure something else out," Lee stated as he pressed his lips together.

Dotty propped her hand on her hip and pointed at him with the other, "Lee Stetson, you're going to stand here and tell me that your uncle, your flesh and blood, wouldn't want to have dinner with his nephew and his soon to be family?"

Lee shook his head and simply said, "No, Dotty, he wouldn't."

"I don't believe you!" she exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air. "I don't believe you would be unwilling to give him a chance."

"I never said I would be unwilling to give him a chance, Dotty. I just know my uncle, and dinners like that are not his thing," Lee shrugged his shoulders as he walked around her to stand beside Amanda. "What did the Colonel say when he called?" Lee asked.

Dotty rolled her eyes and said, "He said he was returning your call and he was looking forward to seeing you. Which is why I thought it would be a wonderful idea to invite him to dinner tomorrow night."

Lee reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. He unscrewed the top, took a long sip then said, "I'm sorry to tell you, you're wrong. Besides that, I was going to see if the boys would help me tomorrow after school."

Dotty knitted her brow, narrowed her eyes as she folded her arms and asked, "Help with what?"

Lee grinned at Amanda before he said lightly, "I was just going to see if they would help me move a few things."

Dotty looked at Amanda, who was also grinning, and asked, "Move what things? Lee, are you hiding something?"

Lee reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the keys to the new house and said, "No, Dotty, we're not hiding anything. These are the keys to our new house and I was going to see if the boys would be willing to help me start moving the boxes out of my apartment tomorrow."

Dotty rushed forward, grabbed Lee by the arms first, then pulled him close for a hug. "Oh, Lee! Amanda! The house! I forgot all about the house!" she yelled. She released Lee then grabbed Amanda for a hug. She pulled Lee in for a group hug as the boys came running into the kitchen.

"What's going on, Grandma?" Philip asked, confused by the commotion.

"They got the house!" Dotty exclaimed again, snatching the keys from Lee's hand and waving them around.

Jamie smiled wide as he asked, "You got the house?"

Lee nodded, his grin growing wider as Amanda chimed in, "We got the house."

"And I get my own room!" Philip shouted, throwing his arm around Jamie's shoulders.

Jamie brushed Philip's arm off and stated, "I finally get my own room. I won't have to share with the slob anymore."

"Who are you calling a slob, worm brain? Just because I don't alphabetize my books or color code my closet doesn't make me a slob," Philip defended himself.

"Jamie, now that isn't very nice. And Philip, no one is saying you're a slob, but I am gonna tell both of you to stop calling each other names," Amanda scolded them.

Philip rolled his eyes and looked at Jamie as he said sarcastically, "I'm sorry." Jamie didn't reply, he simply nodded his acceptance.

"So what do you say, fellas? You want to help me move some boxes tomorrow after school?" Lee asked excitedly.

Jamie stopped smiling and said, "But, tomorrow's Tuesday. We make dinner on Tuesdays."

Philip climbed onto one of the kitchen stools as he agreed, "Yeah, we make dinner on Tuesdays. I was hoping we'd make tacos. And homemade salsa with guacamole dip."

"I do have a recipe for a good guacamole dip," Lee added. "But I was hoping to start moving some boxes into the garage tomorrow."

Dotty looked at her grandson and added, "And besides that, Lee's uncle is coming for dinner tomorrow."

Jamie looked at Lee, adjusted his glasses and asked, "Your uncle's coming for dinner?"

Lee looked at Dotty and stated firmly, "My uncle is NOT coming for dinner tomorrow!"

_To be continued in Promises Fulfilled._


End file.
